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Astros Conduct Batting Clinic in Boston; Sunday at 1:35pm

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By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – The Houston Astros have a relatively new, gorgeous, multi-purpose ballpark in the Space City and it’s served the team well. But, the ‘Stros might trade places with the Boston Red Sox on a Minute Maid moment. Consider the facts and the stats.

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Coming into the series finale on Sunday at Fenway Park, the Astros were riding a four-game winning streak, the prior two victories coming at the expense of the hometown Sox to the tune of 8-4 on Friday night and 5-4 on Saturday afternoon for the FS-1 tv crowd. But, consider: Houston left fielder Jordan Alvarez was batting a sizzling .463 (25-for-54) at Fenway over his 14 career games at America’s Most Beloved Ballpark.

Alvarez had seven homers, 19 RBI and a .963 slugging percentage. His batting average, slugging and OPS (1.517) were all tops amongst active MLB batters. The next closest Sox opponent was 78 points behind Alvarez.

By the way, coming into today’s game, Alvarez leads all of MLB with his road numbers of .357 batting average, 1.134 OPS. .695 slugging, and .439 on base percentage.  All the number improved!

On Sunday, as the Astros conducted a clinic in pitching, fielding and batting at the expense of the Sox, Alvarez reached base his four at bats, including a towering home run in the top of the fifth inning when Houston did five runs of damage and take a 6-0 lead in the game. Alvarez hit his solo HR immediately after 3B Alex Bregman took out some car headlights in the parking garage across Lansdowne Street outside of the left field Green Monster.

In the sixth inning, it was more of the same, as Bregman doubled and scored, Alvarez was intentionally walked and scored and SS Jeremy Pena had the honors to place another ball on the pavement outside of the House of Blues on Lansdowne.

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Boston relievers, Brennan Bernardino (four earned runs) and Luis Garcia (five earned runs) took the brunt of the Astros’ in-game BP.

Boston’s relievers were sent to work early when starter and LHP James Paxton suffered a strained calf in the first inning and had to be removed from the game. Long reliever and RHP Lucas Sims came on in relief and pitched two serviceable innings, allowing only one run.

The Red Sox managed to score two runs in the home sixth, avoiding the 10-run rule type outing in what finished as a 10-2 rout with Sox first baseman Dom Smith pitching the top of the ninth inning for Manager Alex Cora in the all-out laugher.

Smith did receive a warm ovation from the Fenway faithful who withstood another Texan-sized shellacking as the Sox were swept for the second time since the MLB All-Star break (LA Dodgers took three, July 19-21).

Boston will be forced to do another Texas “two-step” when the Rangers visit Fenway for three games this Monday through Wednesday. Boston dropped to 61-55 on the season and three games back of the Kansas City Royals in the race for the final wild car slot, while Houston improved to 62-55.

For the agate column lovers, Sims took the loss for Boston and is (1 – 6) while Houston’s starter Hunter Brown improved to (10-7) on the year.

‘Stros Defeat Sox

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Houston’s Jordan Alvarez hit two home runs and Spencer Arrighetti recorded a career-high 13 strikeouts to help the visiting Houston Astros defeat the Boston Red Sox 5-4 on Saturday.

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Alvarez opened the scoring by hitting a solo home run in the top of the first, and then broke a 1-1 tie by hitting a two-run home run in the sixth. The two home runs gave him 24 for the season.

Alvarez has 13 extra-base hits, including six home runs, and 20 RBIs in 68 career at-bats at Boston’s Fenway Park.

Arrighetti (5-10) limited Boston to two runs on two hits in seven innings. His 13 strikeouts were one more than his previous career high.

Alex Bregman and Zach Dezenzo each added a solo home run for Houston, which extended its winning streak to four games. Bregman’s home run, his 16th of the year, gave the Astros a 4-1 lead in the seventh. Dezenzo’s homer came in the eighth, and was the first of his major league career.

Danny Jansen (No. 8) and Masataka Yoshida (No. 7) both had a solo home run for Boston, which were the only hits against Arrighetti.

Boston’s Wilyer Abreu drove in two runs with a two-out single in the eighth that trimmed Houston’s lead to 5-4, but Rafael Devers was stranded at second after he led off the ninth with a double. After allowing the double, Houston closer Josh Hader retired the next three batters to record his 25th save.

The Red Sox went with a bullpen game after scheduled starter Cooper Criswell was placed on the COVID-19 related injured list Friday. Brad Keller (0-3) gave up three runs on six hits in four innings of relief and took the loss.

Jansen led off the fifth with a solo home run that tied the game, 1-1, but Houston regained the lead in the sixth when Alvarez hit his second homer to put the Astros in front 3-1.

After Bregman’s home run stretched Houston’s lead to three runs, Yoshida made it 4-2 when he homered in the bottom of the seventh. Dezenzo’s home run put the Astros in front 5-2 before Abreu’s two-run single in the eighth.

–Field Level Media

NFL Preseason Round-Up

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BALTIMORE – (Wire Service Report by Field Level Media) – Philly’s kicker Jake Elliott nailed a 49-yard field goal as time ran out after missing from 50 yards seconds earlier as the Philadelphia Eagles edged the host Baltimore Ravens 16-13 on Friday night.

Elliott, who also missed an extra point in the game, got his second chance for the winner when the Eagles sacked Emory Jones and forced a fumble on the first play after his miss came with 16 seconds to play.

Amid reports that Jalen Hurts would start at quarterback for Philadelphia, Kenny Pickett got the call instead and threw for 89 yards and a touchdown in the first half. He completed 14 of 22 passes, including hooking up with Will Shipley for a 7-yard score in the first quarter. Lew Nichols’ 2-yard touchdown run broke a 6-6 tie with 2:16 left in the third quarter.

The Ravens managed only two field goals by Justin Tucker, from 46 and 21 yards, in the first half. But Devin Leary, who came on at quarterback in the second half, scored on a 1-yard run with 5:46 to play to tie the game at 13-13. Josh Johnson, expected to be Lamar Jackson’s backup for Baltimore, played the first half and completed 4 of 12 passes for 62 yards.

Texans 20, Steelers 12

Houston QB C.J. Stroud, the reigning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, threw a 34-yard touchdown pass in his two series as Houston defeated host Pittsburgh.

Stroud’s strike to Tank Dell sent the Texans (1-1) on their way to a 17-0 halftime lead. Dell’s rookie season ended last Dec. 3 when he went down with a fractured fibula. He also sustained a minor gunshot wound when he was caught in crossfire at a bar on April 28. Houston got a 4-yard touchdown run from Dare Ogunbowale and two field goals by Ka’imi Fairbairn, from 36 and 51 yards.

Quarterback Justin Fields played the first quarter in his debut for the Steelers (0-1), hitting 5 of 6 passes for 67 yards. Kyle Allen went the rest of the way, throwing for 193 yards on 17-of-23 passing, including a 6-yard touchdown pass to Connor Heyward. Allen was intercepted once. Daijun Edwards’ 1-yard run in the fourth quarter capped the scoring.

Dolphins 20, Falcons 13

Skylar Thompson threw for 95 yards and a touchdown as Miami turned back Atlanta in the first preseason game for each team.

Thompson, who played the first half, found Jeff Wilson Jr. for a 6-yard score early in the second quarter, and Jaylen Wright’s touchdown run, also for 6 yards, put the Dolphins ahead 17-10 later in the half. Jason Sanders booted field goals of 58 and 46 yards, and Tanner Connor made three catches for 70 yards, including a 43-yarder.

Playing most of the first half for Atlanta, Michael Penix Jr. — the eighth overall pick in the 2024 draft — went 9 of 16 passing for 104 yards. Carlos Washington Jr. scored the Falcons’ only touchdown, a 1-yard run late in the first quarter. Younghoe Koo nailed both of his field goal attempts, from 39 yards in the first quarter and 53 yards early in the third.

–Field Level Media

Sox: Astros Break Out of Slump

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BOSTON – The Houston Astros will look to extend their winning streak to four on Saturday when they face the Boston Red Sox for the second matchup of a three-game series at Fenway Park. The Astros seem to have broken out of an offensive slump that plagued them in early August.

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After collecting 13 hits in a 6-4 victory over the Texas Rangers on Wednesday, Houston posted a 16-hit attack in an 8-4 triumph over Boston on Friday night. Seven of those hits came in a four-run seventh inning that included a two-run home run by Jose Altuve.

Altuve’s shot tied the game at three-all, and Houston scored twice more in the frame.

“Obviously, trying to get a run in, we were down by two,” Altuve said. “Basically, just put a ball in play. … I’ve been working on trying to drive the ball again and (have) been getting on base, hitting for power.”

Yainer Diaz hit a two-run home run for the Astros in a three-run ninth. Prior to the Wednesday win, Houston was held to 19 runs in the previous eight games — six of them losses.

The Astros scored seven runs on 12 hits in three innings against Boston’s bullpen.

“We’re getting healthy and we have arms,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “It didn’t happen today. I always say that’s a fastbreak offense. When they get going, they get going. … It happens quick. They do a good job putting the ball in play, hitting the ball hard early in counts. They’re very aggressive and today we didn’t do the job.”

The Red Sox were 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position and stranded 10 runners.

Astros rookie right-hander Spencer Arrighetti (4-10, 5.33 ERA) is scheduled to start on Saturday. Arrighetti struck out a career-high 12 in his latest outing, a 1-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday. It was the most strikeouts in a game by an Astros pitcher this year.

Arrighetti allowed five hits and walked two in six innings. The only run he permitted came on doubles by Dylan Carlson and Brandon Lowe in the third inning. He threw 100 pitches, 67 for strikes.

Houston has lost six consecutive games started by Arrighetti, but he compiled a 3.41 ERA over the past five of those outings as the Astros scored a total of five runs.

Arrighetti will be facing Boston for the first time in his career.

Right-hander Cooper Criswell was scheduled to start Saturday’s game for Boston, but he was placed on the COVID-related injured list on Friday. Right-hander Josh Winckowski (2-1, 3.44 ERA) will get the ball instead.

In 24 games with Boston this season, Winckowski has made five starts, the most recent coming July 6 against the New York Yankees. In that contest, he allowed three runs in 3 2/3 innings. Against the Astros in his career, Winckowski has a 2.25 ERA and one save in three relief appearances, all of them last year.

The Friday loss dropped Boston’s home record to 27-29. The Red Sox have a 3.85 ERA in 58 road games and a 4.28 ERA in 56 home games.

Boston’s Nick Sogard had two hits in the series opener. He has reached base in all six games he has played since he was called up from Triple-A Worcester last week, compiling a .318 batting average and a .423 on-base percentage.

“He has a pretty good idea of what to swing at,” Cora said. “He doesn’t chase. He gets to the fastball. So far it’s been good.”

–Field Level Media

Witt is It

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KANSAS CITY – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Kansas City’s Bobby Witt Jr. homered twice and drove in four runs on Wednesday, leading the Kansas City Royals past the visiting Boston Red Sox 8-4 to salvage the finale of a three-game series.

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Cole Ragans (9-7) allowed four runs (one earned) on six hits and two walks over 6 1/3 innings for Kansas City. The left-hander struck out seven and collected his fourth win over his last five starts.

Boston starter Kutter Crawford (7-9) tossed 3 2/3 innings, allowing six runs on five hits and four walks with three strikeouts. He allowed Witt’s first home run, a one-out solo shot in the first to open the scoring.

Crawford has surrendered 13 homers in his last four starts and leads the majors with 27 home runs allowed.

Witt and Vinnie Pasquantino, who are tied for third in the American League with 84 RBIs, both supplied two in the Royals’ five-run fourth inning.

MJ Melendez drew an 11-pitch walk to open the frame and scored on Crawford’s wild pitch with one out to pull Kansas City within 4-3.

Witt put the Royals ahead with a two-out, two-run double into the right field corner on an 0-2 pitch, which chased Crawford from the game.

Pasquantino promptly hit reliever Brennan Bernardino’s second pitch into the right field bullpen for a two-run homer and a 7-4 lead.

Witt closed the scoring in the sixth inning with his second solo shot of the night and 22nd of the season.

With the win, the Royals increased their lead to 1 1/2 games over Boston for the AL’s final wild-card spot.

Michael Massey’s RBI single put Kansas City up 2-0 in the second inning before his throwing error helped the Red Sox rally in the third.

Massey’s mistake put two runners on with none out, and Romy González eventually connected for a two-out, three-run homer, his fourth this season.

Boston boosted its lead to 4-2 on Danny Jansen’s homer to lead off the fourth.

Red Sox right-hander Chris Martin was activated from the injured list and struck out three in a scoreless eighth.

–Field Level Media

Sox: On Again After Off Again

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KANSAS CITY – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Masataka Yoshida homered and drove in three runs as the Boston Red Sox rallied past the Kansas City Royals 6-5 on Tuesday evening.

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Yoshida, who had four hits in Monday’s 9-5 win for Boston, hit a solo homer in the third inning on Tuesday — his sixth blast of the season. He then singled in two runs to cap a three-run sixth inning.

Opening the sixth, Dominic Smith doubled and was later ruled out trying to score on Seth Lugo’s wild pitch, but the call was overturned after the Red Sox challenged it, breaking the 3-3 tie.

After Kansas City took a 1-0 lead in the first, Boston answered quickly, taking advantage of second baseman Michael Massey’s first error of the season. David Hamilton’s RBI double and Ceddanne Rafaela’s run-scoring grounder gave the Red Sox a 2-1 lead.

Kansas City tied the game with two out in the fifth on Massey’s 10th homer and Vinnie Pasquantino’s RBI double. After a walk to Salvador Perez, Boston starter Brayan Bello was pulled in favor of Brennan Bernardino (4-3), who the final out got and picked up the win with his only pitch of the game.

In 4 2/3 innings, Bello allowed three runs on five hits and three walks. He struck out six.

MJ Melendez’s two-run double in the eighth cut the Royals’ deficit to one, but closer Kenley Jansen struck the final batter of that inning and two of three he faced in the ninth to earn his 21st save.

Boston has won six of eight games and three straight series.

The Red Sox won four of five games against the Royals this year and 27 of 38 since the start of 2018.

Lugo (13-6) pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing six runs — four earned — on six hits and four walks. He struck out four. He has lost four of his last six starts.

Pasquantino had three of Kansas City’s eight hits with two RBIs, and he leads the Royals with 82 RBIs.

The Royals have lost six of their last seven home games.

–Field Level Media

Judon to Honor Contract for ’24

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FOXBOROUGH – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – New England Patriots outside linebacker Matthew Judon said he will play this season on his current contract.

The four-time Pro Bowler was on the practice field Monday, a week after a heated exchange with head coach Jerod Mayo and members of the team’s front office, reportedly over his contract status.

“I gotta play,” Judon told reporters after Monday’s session. “This ain’t nothing about practice. I gotta do what I’m contracted and obligated to do so I don’t lose money.”

Judon has been an on-again, off-again participant in camp while seeking a raise from the $6.5 million base salary he is set to earn this season in the final year of a four-year, $56 million deal. He is due to become an unrestricted free agent in 2025.

“I want to stay here for the remainder of my career,” he said. “I only have one year left. It’s not up to me.”

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For the first time, Judon talked to reporters about his exchange last week with Mayo.

“We had a conversation,” Judon said. “I didn’t want to be a distraction to the team, and I wasn’t participating that day so I went inside.”

Judon, who turns 32 on Aug. 15, is a ninth-year veteran who missed 13 games last season after suffering a torn biceps against the Dallas Cowboys in a Week 4 loss.

In eight seasons, Judon has 369 tackles, 66.5 sacks, 165 quarterback hits, nine forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries in 114 games (82 starts) with the Baltimore Ravens (2016-20) and Patriots.

–Field Level Media

Georgia’s On Everyone’s Mind

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INDIANAPOLIS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Georgia received all but nine first-place votes and is ranked No. 1 in the 2024 preseason USA Today Coaches Poll.

No. 2 Ohio State received seven of the remaining nine first-place votes with Oregon at No. 3 following by three consecutive SEC teams — Texas, Alabama and Ole Miss. The Rebels were last ranked this high in the coaches poll in 1970.

The SEC has nine teams in the poll, with No. 16 Oklahoma joining the conference newcomer Longhorns, who received one first-place vote.

Notre Dame is seventh and the only team outside the Power 4 in the poll. Defending national champion Michigan, also receiving one vote for first place, is No. 8 ahead of Penn State and Florida State.

The Crimson Tide are entering the first season under head coach Kalen DeBoer. He replaced Nick Saban, who retired at the end of the season. The No. 5 preseason ranking for Alabama is its lowest starting position in the Coaches Poll since 2009.

DeBoer’s former club, Washington, was national runner-up in January but didn’t make the preseason Top 25.

–Field Level Media

Dutch Gold

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PARIS – The Netherlands won gold in the men’s 3×3 basketball by edging France 18-17 in overtime in the final at the Paris Olympics on Monday, just a few minutes after Germany earned their first international title in the women’s tournament.

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France was backed by a passionate crowd, but Worthy de Jong, instantly recognizable with his bleached blond hair, tied the score in the last seconds of regulation and sealed the title for the Dutch with a two-point, long-range shot in overtime.

On the women’s side, Germany beat Spain 17-16 after Sonja Greinacher hit a two-pointer that gave them a decisive lead with 30 seconds remaining at Place de la Concorde.

Greinacher had already scintillated in a back-and-forth semifinal contest against Canada, delivering 11 points and five rebounds for a 16-15 win.

“We definitely wanted that gold medal,” Greinacher said after getting a congratulatory hug courtside from compatriot and 14-times NBA All-Star Dirk Nowitzki.

“I think we just wanted to enjoy our last game together as a group. That was the biggest goal of it all, to just enjoy.”

The men’s bronze went to Lithuania after they dispatched Tokyo gold medalists Latvia 21-18, who picked a bad day to suffer their only two losses of the tournament.

The United States, who won the women’s gold in Tokyo, prevailed over Canada 16-13 to claim bronze this time around, a consolation prize after losing 18-16 to Spain in overtime in the semifinals.

“After we lost this morning and had our gold dream crushed, we were down,” American Hailey Van Lith said.

“We were kind of feeling sorry for ourselves. It took a lot of mental toughness just to compete in this game.”

In their bronze medal game, the United States had to rely on close one-point shots and five free throws to beat Canada’s Plouffe twins, Katherine and Michelle, the Nos. 1 and 3-ranked players in the world.

The Americans had a difficult start to the tournament, losing their three opening pool games to Germany, Azerbaijan and Australia before finally finding their groove.

The Paris 3×3 tournament was even more complicated for the U.S. men’s team, who were making their Olympic debut with a revamped squad after failing to qualify for Tokyo.

The Americans had to play four of their seven games without top-ranked player Jimmer Fredette, who suffered two torn ligaments in his adductor, and failed to break out of their pool.

France’s women, runners-up at the 2023 World Cup, were just as disappointing, finishing last in the pool phase behind Azerbaijan.

–Reuters, Special to Field Level Media

Sox Can Hit Struggling Texas Relievers

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ARLINGTON –  (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Texas Rangers, riding a three-game losing streak, will hope to slow the Boston Red Sox’s offense on Saturday night in Texas. Boston opened the three-game series with an 11-6 victory on Friday. Texas has been outscored 29-8 during its skid.

The Red Sox hit three home runs in the Friday win, which raised their road record to 31-22. Wilyer Abreu and Ceddanne Rafaela each hit a two-run blast, and Rafael Devers added a solo shot in the ninth. Devers enters the Saturday contest on a nine-game hitting streak in which he is batting .528 (19-for-36).

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“They’re a good hitting ballclub,” Texas manager Bruce Bochy said. “They’re one of the top offensive teams in baseball. It was a tough night for the pitchers all night, really. … You have to keep battling. That’s all you can do.”

The Rangers have lost six of their past seven games, with the pitching staff compiling a 7.98 ERA in that stretch.

Connor Wong had four of Boston’s 16 hits in the series opener. The Red Sox have at least 10 hits in 12 of their past 15 games.

“Offensively it was an outstanding night,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “We got the first one out of the way, which is important. I talked to the staff about it, this whole Fridays and not winning games … it put us in a bad spot going into the weekend. You win that one and then you have two chances to win the series, and we are in the business of winning series. Hopefully we can do it (Saturday).”

The Rangers had not announced a starting pitcher for the Saturday contest.

“We’re going to talk about it, where we’re at,” Bochy said following Friday’s loss. “I think we’re fine, but we will huddle up here soon and talk about the game plan (Saturday) and the next couple days. … If we have to bring somebody up, we’ll do that.”

Boston will go with right-hander Tanner Houck (8-7, 2.79 ERA). Houck had a 2.18 ERA through his first 16 starts this season, when he recorded 101 strikeouts and walked 18 in 103 1/3 innings, but he hasn’t been nearly as effective since then. He has a 5.26 ERA in his past five outings, logging 15 strikeouts and 15 walks over 25 2/3 innings.

“I think just timing issues and delivery just feels a little out of whack as of late, over the past month, but ultimately that’s the way that a full 162 games is going to play out,” Houck said. “You’re not always going to feel your best. You’re not always going to have everything clicking, and it’s about getting back to those days that you feel that and just keep showing up. Don’t really (need) to reinvent the wheel.”

Houck is 0-1 with a 3.86 ERA in two career appearances (one start) against Texas. He has allowed three runs on four hits in seven innings against the Rangers.

Texas received two solo home runs from Cory Seager in the Friday loss. Marcus Semien added a two-run homer for the Rangers, who also got a solo homer from Leody Taveras. Still, it wasn’t enough to keep pace with Boston’s offense.

–Field Level Media