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Giolito Leads Sox to Sweep

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By TERRY LYONS, Editor-in-Chief of Digital Sports Desk

BOSTON – The kids are running the bases after Boston’s 6-1 victory and series sweep of the Houston Astros today. They might as well, as the base paths are clear and clean. Aside from Carlos Correa‘s home run in the 4th inning, the ‘Stros only had three base runners and not one reached third base against Boston’s starter Lucas Giolito.

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Giolito (8-2) had his most successful and deepest outing of 2025, going eight innings and allowing only the three hits and one walk. He struck out four Houston batters as he threw a 103 pitches (67 strikes). Since June 10th, he’s won seven games and dropped only one (at Chicago Cubs, July 18). Giolito’s eight innings were the deepest he’s gone in a game since August 9th of the 2021 season.

And, get this?

The Red Sox gave him a full blast-off of run support, all coming in a six run fourth inning when Houston starter and club ace Framber Valdez simply imploded. The six-run rally started with a Roman Anthony double to left center field, then Valdez walked Romy Gonzalez. From there, Valdez committed a balk, threw a wild pitch, threw a pitch that caused Houston catcher Yanier Diaz to be charged with a passed ball and allowed Boston’s Trevor Story, Ceddanne Rafaela and Abraham Toro to hit consecutive singles before Valdez made an error on a soft grounder up the middle.

The fourth inning saw all the scoring in the game, starting as a 1-0 lead for the Astros but finishing with a 6-1 lead for the Sox.

Valdez had his own 10-game win streak broken, dating back to May 7. During that 10-game span, Valdez posted a 1.84 ERA, struck out 104 batters and kept his opponents to a .202 batting average.

Over in the home dugout, Boston is now 11 games over the .500 mark (62-51), as they’ve won seven of their last eight games, including five in a row (two vs. Minnesota; three vs. Houston). Today, August 3, 2025 marks the first time Boston is 11 games over .500 since June 26, 2022.

The reason? Boston pitchers have allowed only six earned runs over the last four games for a 1.46 ERA.

Houston has lost the three straight games vs Boston, but have dropped eight of their last 10 games.

Red Sox on a Home Run Roll

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BOSTON – Boston’s Romy Gonzalez, Trevor Story and Abraham Toro each homered to propel the hometown Red Sox to a 7-3 victory over the visiting Houston Astros on Saturday.

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Gonzalez hit a solo home run in the first inning, Story gave the Red Sox a 4-2 lead when he hit a two-run homer in the third and Toro extended the lead to 6-2 with a two-run home run in the fourth. All three home runs came against Houston starter Colton Gordon.

Gonzalez, Story, Ceddanne Rafaela and Rob Refsnyder each had two hits for the Red Sox, who had 10 hits in the win. Victor Caratini collected four of Houston’s 14 hits.

Reliever Justin Wilson (3-1) earned the win for recording the final two outs in the fifth. Boston starter Walker Buehler wasn’t sharp. He gave up three runs on nine hits and walked three with no strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings.

Gordon (4-4) gave up six runs on seven hits in four innings. He struck out six and walked one.

Boston won the first two games in the three-game series, and extended its winning streak to four games.

Shortstop Jeremy Pena was not in Houston’s lineup after cramping up in the 10th inning of Boston’s 2-1 victory on Friday. Pena came off the 10-day injured list (ribs) earlier Friday. Carlos Correa, reacquired from the Minnesota Twins on Thursday, played shortstop after agreeing to move to third as part of the trade.

Walker’s home run handed the Astros a 2-0 lead in the first, but the home runs by Gonzalez, Story and Toro helped Boston take a four-run lead. Houston made it 6-3 when Yainer Diaz drove in Carlos Correa with a single in the fifth, but Story’s RBI double in the seventh scored Refsnyder and pushed Boston’s lead to four.

Jordan Hicks struck out Correa with the bases loaded for the final out of the eighth inning.

–Field Level Media

Extra Beginnings

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston rookie Roman Anthony’s single in the bottom of the 10th inning drove in Wilyer Abreu with the game-winning run as the Red Sox extended their winning streak to three games by beating the visiting Houston Astros, 2-1, on Friday night.

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Abreu starting the inning at second base as the automatic runner and moved to third on a fielder’s choice before Anthony singled against Bennett Sousa (5-1).

Christian Walker hit his 14th home run of the season for Houston. Walker’s home run came against Boston starter Cooper Criswell with two outs in the second inning.

After Walker’s home run put Houston up 1-0, Boston tied the game, 1-1, when Trevor Story scored from third on a sacrifice fly by Abreu in the seventh.

Criswell made his first start of the season for the Red Sox and limited Houston to one run on seven hits in seven innings. He entered Friday’s game with a 5.06 ERA in six relief appearances with Boston this year, and is 4-2 with a 3.32 ERA in 14 games (13 starts) with Triple-A Worcester.

Greg Weissert (4-3) pitched a scoreless 10th to earn the win.

Houston starter Hunter Brown also allowed one run in seven innings. He gave up four hits, struck out six and walked one.

Houston shortstop Jeremy Pena collected three hits – all singles – after being activated from the 10-day injured list (ribs) Friday. He was in the lineup for the first time since June 27.

Pena was joined on the left side of the infield by former Houston All-Star Carlos Correa, who was acquired in a trade with Minnesota on Thursday and played third base. Correa was 0-for-4 in his first game back with the Astros, who drafted him first overall in the 2012 MLB Draft.

Jesus Sanchez added two hits for Houston. Sanchez was one of three players the Astros landed at Thursday’s trade deadline.

The Red Sox received two hits from both Anthony and Alex Bregman, who was playing against his former team for the first time since signing with Boston in the offseason.

-Field Level Media

Red Sox Clash with Astros

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Astros will kick off a nine-game road trip when they face the Boston Red Sox on Friday, and few American League hitters are coming off a better month than Houston’s Jose Altuve.

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Altuve collected four hits, including a three-run home run, to help Houston defeat Washington 9-1 on Wednesday. He hit .363 (33 for 91) during July with seven doubles, five homers and 21 RBIs in 24 games.

“Basically, I’m getting good pitches to hit,” Altuve said. “Early in the season, I was swinging at pretty much everything. I didn’t really focus on the pitch I can handle and I think that was what was different this last month.”

The Astros were held to eight runs during a five-game losing streak that ended Tuesday. They responded by putting up 16 runs over their last two outings.

“We were going through a stretch there where things were not going our way, but our guys are going to push and we figured out a way to score runs,” Houston manager Joe Espada said. “The quality of at-bats were there back-to-back days.”

Houston made a big splash Thursday when it acquired infielder Carlos Correa from Minnesota. Correa played his first seven MLB seasons in Houston before he signed with the Twins as a free agent.

“We were waiting for a shortstop to come in (with the Twins) and now that I get to play third base, it will be great for me at this stage of my career,” Correa told MLB.com.

The Astros also landed infielder Ramon Urias in a trade with Baltimore on Wednesday and acquired outfielder Jesus Sanchez in a deal with Miami on Thursday.

The Red Sox added two pitchers before the trade deadline. Boston acquired right-hander Dustin May from the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday, one day after it picked up left-handed pitcher Steven Matz in a deal with St. Louis.

Although his numbers aren’t as good as Altuve’s, Boston’s Jarren Duran is coming off a productive month at the plate as well. He batted .317 with five home runs, three triples, nine doubles and 21 RBIs in 23 games in July.

Duran homered and had three hits during Boston’s 13-1 victory over Minnesota on Wednesday. Duran, who has three homers in his last eight games, had five extra-base hits in the three-game series against the Twins.

“Excellent,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “He’s been good the whole month. You look at his numbers, the walks, driving the ball, playing good defense in center and left field, running the bases. He’s one of the most dynamic players in the big leagues and I’m glad he’s playing for us.”

Right-hander Hunter Brown (9-5, 2.54 ERA) is listed as Houston’s probable pitcher for Friday’s game. Brown allowed two runs on five hits in 5 1/3 innings during his only career appearance against the Red Sox, which came in August 2024.

The Astros went 12-13 in July — their first losing month of the season — but are hoping All-Star shortstop Jeremy Pena (ribs) returns from the injured list in time to play Friday.

Friday’s game will be the first time third baseman Alex Bregman has faced his former team since he signed with the Red Sox in the offseason. Bregman, who was given Wednesday off, helped the Astros win the World Series in 2017 and 2022.

–Field Level Media

Red Sox: Meet the Matz

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Boston Red Sox beefed up their pitching staff Wednesday night by acquiring left-hander Steven Matz from the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Cardinals acquired minor league infielder Blaze Jordan in exchange for Matz, a 34-year-old veteran who has experience both as a starter and a reliever.

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In 2025, Matz has made 30 of his 32 appearances out of the bullpen, and he has posted a 5-2 record with a 3.44 ERA across 55 innings.

Matz was selected in the second round of the 2009 draft by the Mets and spent the first six seasons of his major league career in New York. After one season with the Toronto Blue Jays, Matz signed with the Cardinals ahead of the 2022 season and has played the past four seasons in St. Louis. In 225 career games (172 starts), Matz owns a 60-62 mark with a 4.24 ERA.

Jordan, 22, was a third-round pick of the Red Sox in 2020. He batted .304/.377/.495 with 12 homers and 62 RBIs in 88 games with Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester this season.

–Field Level Media

Sox Defeat Twins as Trade Winds Blow

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MINNEAPOLIS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – This is the time of the season when a hug can set off alarm bells.

The Minnesota Twins will try their best to avoid distractions when they face the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday afternoon in the teams’ final game before the trade deadline.

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On Tuesday night, Twins closer Jhoan Duran sparked a social-media firestorm when he was spotted giving a hug to the team’s bullpen catcher. Fans quickly speculated that the gesture meant that Duran had been told that he was traded.

Fans’ fears subsided almost as quickly once reports emerged that Duran still was on the Twins and that no trade was imminent.

The Twins hope to produce more runs — and avoid any ominous dugout embraces — when they meet the Red Sox in the decisive contest of a three-game set. Minnesota won the series opener 5-4 on Monday before falling 8-5 on Tuesday.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora hopes that his team’s offensive production will continue. He praised several of his hitters, including Trevor Story, for their recent approach at the plate.

Story will try to stay hot after he went 2-for-5 with a double, a homer and three RBIs on Tuesday night. He has 16 homers and a team-best 64 RBIs on the season.

“Solid season,” Cora said. “It didn’t look that way before we went to Milwaukee, and he turned it around. He’s actually one of the best offensive shortstops in the big leagues right now.”

Jarren Duran has provided a spark, too. The Boston outfielder contributed a double and a homer in the Tuesday win while batting third in the lineup for the third day in a row.

“The last month, if you look at it, I think it’s like .950 OPS (for Jarren Duran),” Cora said. “He’s getting on base. Hitting the ball all over the place.

“He’s in a good spot. We like this lineup, we really do.”

Twins right-hander Zebby Matthews (2-2, 4.97 ERA) will try to subdue Boston’s lineup. Matthews is coming off his best start of the season, when he fired six scoreless innings on Friday against the Washington Nationals. He allowed two hits, walked none and struck out seven.

Matthews has made one career start against the Red Sox. He gave up one run on two hits in 4 2/3 innings during a no-decision on Sept. 22, 2024.

Boston will counter with Brayan Bello (6-5, 3.32 ERA). The 26-year-old right-hander will try to avoid a third consecutive defeat after dropping his past two starts to the Chicago Cubs and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

In two career starts against Minnesota, Bello is 0-1 with a 3.38 ERA. He didn’t get a decision vs. Minnesota on May 2 after permitting one run on four hits in 6 2/3 innings.

The Twins’ lineup will not be at full strength after the team placed All-Star outfielder Byron Buxton on the injured list because of soreness in his left ribcage. Carlos Correa also is uncertain for the series finale after leaving the Tuesday game because he felt light-headed.

Other players including Jhoan Duran, Joe Ryan, Harrison Bader, Willi Castro, Danny Coulombe will try to avoid distractions with their names mentioned in trade rumors.

Coulombe acknowledged that the next couple days might feature a lot of uncertainty.

“It’s impossible not to (think about it),” the left-handed reliever said. “Your life gets flipped upside down. You’re with a different team, new city, new teammates — not to mention all the logistical parts for wives and families. It’s definitely unsettling.”

–Field Level Media

Twins Weather the Storm, Beat Sox

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MINNEAPOLIS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Minnesota Twins’ patience paid off after they waited out a big storm. Now, the Twins hope brighter days are ahead.

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Minnesota will face the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday night in the second installment of a three-game series in Minneapolis. The Twins are coming off a 5-4 comeback win in the series opener after a ninth-inning rain delay that lasted 90 minutes.

Heading into the bottom of the ninth, the Twins trailed 4-3. They emerged with the victory when Brooks Lee delivered a walk-off, two-run single with the bases loaded. It was a much-needed win for a team that entered the game 3-6 since the All-Star break.

You fight hard for like 2 1/2 hours and you end up in an hour-plus rain delay,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said. “Then you come out and it’s still a great opportunity and a time to make something happen, and our guys came out. They all went up there and had good at-bats, every one of our guys. …

“It’s not that easy to sit around and then just show up and head out there and face a guy throwing 100 mph sinkers (Jordan Hicks) and win the at-bats.”

The Red Sox will try to even the series at one win apiece Tuesday as they look to improve their record in a hard-fought American League East. Boston won back-to-back games against the Los Angeles Dodgers before losing the series opener in Minnesota.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora said his team was in a good spot in the ninth, but the delay seemed to change the game’s momentum.

“There’s nothing you can do against Mother Nature,” he said.

Red Sox right-hander Lucas Giolito (6-2, 3.97 ERA) is scheduled to make his 16th start of the season on Tuesday. He is coming off a rocky outing against the Philadelphia Phillies, who tagged him for five runs on six hits in four innings on Wednesday in a game Boston won 9-8 in 11 innings.

Giolito, 31, is 8-10 with a 4.25 ERA in 24 career starts against the Twins. He last faced them in 2023, when he went 0-2 with a 4.71 ERA in four starts against them.

The Twins have not announced a starter for Tuesday’s game.

Earlier Monday, Minnesota said goodbye to one of its veteran starting pitchers when it dealt right-hander Chris Paddack to the Detroit Tigers for 19-year-old Enrique Jimenez, a minor league catcher/first baseman. The Twins also sent right-hander Randy Dobnak to Detroit.

Baldelli said his players were doing a good job at staying focused on the game in front of them while they also had to bid farewell to friends and teammates.

“It’s the time of the year where sometimes there’s movement on the roster and guys can come in or are going (away),” Baldelli said. “To be able to focus and play a really good ballgame, to challenge guys in different spots and watch them come through, you have to kind of want it.

“It’s a challenging day saying goodbye to a guy that you care about that’s done good work for us in ‘Paddy,’ but watching guys step up for us on a day that’s kind of an emotional day is great. It’s really great.”

–Field Level Media

Baseball at the Race Track

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BRISTOL (Tenn) – Saturday’s MLB Speedway Classic will break Major League Baseball’s all-time single-game attendance record, the league announced on Monday.

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More than 85,000 tickets have been sold for the game between the Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves at Bristol Motor Speedway, the first MLB game ever played in Tennessee.

The current record for paid attendance is 84,587 set on Sept. 12, 1954, for a doubleheader at Cleveland Stadium between the then-Cleveland Indians and New York Yankees.

Fans from all 50 states plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and nine countries across four continents have purchased tickets for the game.

Hall of Famers representing both teams will throw out the ceremonial first pitches, Chipper Jones for the Braves and Johnny Bench for the Reds.

The Speedway Classic will be televised nationally by FOX Sports with the first pitch scheduled for 7:15 p.m. ET.

The current record for paid attendance is 84,587 set on Sept. 12, 1954, for a doubleheader at Cleveland Stadium between the then-Cleveland Indians and New York Yankees.

Fans from all 50 states plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and nine countries across four continents have purchased tickets for the game.

Hall of Famers representing both teams will throw out the ceremonial first pitches, Chipper Jones for the Braves and Johnny Bench for the Reds.

The Speedway Classic will be televised nationally by FOX Sports with the first pitch scheduled for 7:15 p.m. ET.

Harper and The Commish

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PHILADELPHIA – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Right smack in the middle of the City of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia Phillies slugger Bryce Harper dropped an f-bomb on Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred in a heated confrontation last week about a potential salary cap, ESPN reported.

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An irate Harper reportedly got in Manfred’s face and told him to “get the f– out of our clubhouse” if he wanted to discuss such a sensitive economic issue.

Manfred replied that he was “not going to get the f– out of here,” insisting it was important to talk about threats to the league’s business and ways to grow the game, sources told ESPN.

Other players tried to defuse the situation and Harper and Manfred eventually shook hands after the meeting, but Harper would not answer calls from Manfred the next day, per the report.

“It was pretty intense, definitely passionate,” Phillies outfielder Nick Castellanos told ESPN. “Both of ’em. The commissioner giving it back to Bryce and Bryce giving it back to the commissioner. That’s Harp. He’s been doing this since he was 15 years old. It’s just another day. I wasn’t surprised.”

Harper, 32, is one of the game’s most influential players as a two-time National League Most Valuable Player and an eight-time All-Star.

Red Sox Take Dodgers Series

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston’s Alex Bregman hammered a go-ahead two-run homer to help the Red Sox defeat the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers 4-3 Sunday. The Red Sox took the three-game series, 2-1.

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Bregman’s 13th home run of the year came against Los Angeles starting pitcher Dustin May to conclude a three-run fifth inning.

Michael Conforto had three hits — a solo home run and two doubles — for the Dodgers, who also received two hits from Shohei Ohtani.

The Red Sox prevailed twice in the three-game series. Los Angeles won 5-2 Friday, and Boston earned a 4-2 victory Saturday.

Boston starter Walker Buehler pitched against the Dodgers — his former team — for the first time in his career, and was pulled with two outs in the fifth. Buehler gave up three runs on four hits, struck out four and walked five.

Brennan Bernardino (4-2) earned the win for recording the final out of the fifth inning.

Red Sox closer Aroldis Chapman left the game with one out in the eighth. He threw 11 pitches in the inning and walked two. Jordan Hicks got the final five outs for Boston for his second save.

May (6-7) pitched the first five innings for Los Angeles. He surrendered four runs on five hits and struck out five without a walk.

The Red Sox grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Roman Anthony was hit by a pitch, took third on Jarren Duran’s single and scored on Trevor Story’s sacrifice fly to center field. It was the second time the Red Sox have scored first in their nine games since the All-Star break.

Boston regained the lead by scoring three times in the fifth. It was 3-2 after Roman Anthony hit an RBI triple that drove in Abraham Toro, and Bregman followed with his two-run home run that put Boston in front.

–Field Level Media