Digital Sports Desk

HOUSTON – (Wire Service Report) – Houston’s starting pitcher Hunter Brown threw 6 2/3 strong innings and his battery-mate Yainer Diaz drove in three runs as the Astros beat the visiting Boston Red Sox, 4-1, on Wednesday in the rubber match of the three-game series.

Brown (10-5) snapped a six-start winless streak by producing his 15th quality start of the season. Diaz finished 2-for-3 with a two-run home run and an RBI single to pace the Houston offense.

The Astros scored two runs against Red Sox starter Walker Buehler (7-7) in the bottom of the first inning. Jeremy Pena led off the frame with his 13th homer, drilling a 3-1 fastball 358 feet out to left field. Jose Altuve and Victor Caratini then worked walks before Diaz lined the first pitch he saw to left for an RBI double.

Buehler then found his stride. He retired Ramon Urias to strand two runners and initiate a stretch in which he retired 15 of 16 batters, needing only four pitches to complete the bottom of the fifth.

But after retiring Altuve and Christian Walker to open the sixth, Buehler issued a four-pitch walk to Caratini before Diaz struck again, blasting a 415-foot homer to left-center, his 17th homer of the season, to extend the lead to three runs.

Buehler allowed four runs on four hits and four walks, with three strikeouts, over six innings.

Brown retired the Red Sox in order in the first but scuffled an inning later, allowing four baserunners as Boston sliced its two-run deficit in half. Trevor Story, who reached on a leadoff double, scored on Ceddanne Rafaela’s two-out single to center field.

Brown eluded further trouble with a strikeout of Connor Wong then retired the side in order in the third and fifth innings and stranded Jarren Duran at third to cap the sixth. Brown allowed one run on six hits and three walks with four strikeouts.

Bennett Sousa relieved Brown with two outs in the seventh and struck out Roman Anthony to end that frame. Bryan Abreu notched his first save while stranding a pair of runners in the ninth.

–Field Level Media

HOUSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – After the Houston Astros welcomed back Cristian Javier to their starting rotation on Monday following a 15-month absence due to Tommy John surgery, All-Star closer Josh Hader took his place on the 15-day injured list with left shoulder discomfort.

Astros manager Joe Espada was non-committal when asked who would replace Hader at the back end of the bullpen. Right-hander Bryan Abreu seems the logical choice given his role setting up Hader, but Espada remains open to utilizing multiple options.

It’s uncertain how that may shake out on Wednesday when the Astros host the Boston Red Sox in the rubber match of their three-game series.

“For me, and I was talking to the relievers about this, for Josh Hader to be how successful he’s been, he needs guys to give him the ball with the lead,” Espada said. “All these guys have set him up to be the closer that he is. Not to take anything away from Josh. Josh is probably the best. But you need guys to help him get to that point, and these guys are capable of doing that. What you guys saw (Monday) with us piecing it together, we’re going to have to do more of that.

“I told them to be ready to go, and they’ve been ready to go the whole entire season. We have the weapons to do it.”

Right-hander Hunter Brown (9-5, 2.51 ERA) is scheduled to start the series finale for the Astros, one day after the team dropped a 14-1 decision.

Brown did not factor into the decision of a 5-3 road victory over the New York Yankees on Friday after allowing two runs on four hits and one walk with five strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings. He remained winless over his last six starts and is 0-2 with a 4.73 ERA during that stretch.

Among American League pitchers, Brown ranks first in hits per nine innings (6.21), second in opponent OPS (.571), and third in ERA and strikeouts (160).

Brown is 1-0 with a 2.19 ERA in two career starts against the Red Sox. He did not factor into the decision of a 2-1 road loss on Aug. 1 after surrendering one run on four hits and one walk with six strikeouts over seven innings.

Right-hander Walker Buehler (7-6, 5.40) has the starting assignment for Boston on Wednesday.

Buehler twirled six shutout innings in a 10-2 road win over the San Diego Padres on Friday, allowing four hits and two walks while recording four strikeouts.

He is 2-0 with a 3.27 ERA over his last six starts. Before that stretch. Buehler had dropped five of six decisions while recording a 9.29 ERA.

Buehler is 1-1 with a 3.72 ERA over four career starts against Houston. He did not factor into the decision of a 7-3 win over the Astros on Aug. 2 after allowing three runs on nine hits and three walks over 4 1/3 innings.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora started Abraham Toro at first base for the second time in the series on Tuesday, but is likely to start Romy Gonzalez at first in the series finale. Cora cited the balance the switch-hitting Toro and right-handed Gonzalez can offer his offensive attack.

“We’re going to mix and match,” Cora said. “Romy will probably play first (Wednesday). Try to keep the balance of the lineup. When teams have three lefties in the bullpen, it’s smart to keep Ref (Rob Refsnyder) and Romy on the bench if we’re going to be aggressive pinch-hitting. Having Abe swing the bat well is going to help us.”

–Field Level Media

HOUSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Houston Astros debuted their three additions made at the trade deadline to their home fans on Monday in the opener of a three-game series against the Boston Red Sox.

For an offense that has been compromised by injury for lengthy stretches this season, the results were favorable.

Carlos Correa delivered an RBI single to ignite an uprising against Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet, and Ramon Urias added a two-run homer that proved to be the difference in a 7-6 win. Jesus Sanchez was used as a pinch hitter in the eighth as Houston flashed the potential of its reinforcements heading into Tuesday’s rematch against Boston.

The Astros remain without Yordan Alvarez (hand) and Jake Meyers (calf), but their breakout against Crochet provided a snapshot of what their lineup could accomplish when fully healthy.

“Yes, and imagine when those guys get back,” Astros manager Joe Espada said of Alvarez and Meyers. “But, again, they’re not here, and I give credit to these guys that continue to battle every day. They continue to give quality at-bats, and we’re fighting through this.”

As has been the case for most of this injury-plagued season, the Astros were shorthanded on Monday. All-Star closer Josh Hader had his left shoulder examined pregame in response to discomfort, while setup relievers Bryan King and Bryan Abreu were both unavailable. Their absences forced Espada to mix and match over the final four innings.

“That was kind of fun,” Espada said. “Because I trust this bullpen. These guys have been good for us the entire year, and we need them.”

Right-hander Spencer Arrighetti (1-2, 7.43 ERA) is the scheduled starter for the Astros on Tuesday.

He made his return from a four-month stint on the injured list (fractured thumb) against the Miami Marlins on Wednesday and allowed five runs on 11 hits and one walk with five strikeouts over 3 2/3 innings in a 6-4 loss. It marked just the third start of the season for Arrighetti.

Arrighetti made one start against the Red Sox last season as a rookie. He allowed two runs on two hits and one walk with a career-high 13 strikeouts in seven innings in a 5-4 win on Aug. 10.

Right-hander Dustin May (6-8, 4.93) has the starting assignment for the Red Sox on Tuesday.

May allowed three runs on six hits over 3 2/3 innings in a 7-3 loss to the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday in his first start for the Red Sox following his trade- deadline acquisition from the Los Angeles Dodgers. He alternated wins and losses over his last six decisions and seven starts with the Dodgers, going 3-3 with a 5.54 ERA in that span.

In his lone career start against the Astros, May allowed one run on three hits and two walks with three strikeouts over 3 1/3 innings but did not factor into the decision of a 4-2 win on July 29, 2020, while pitching for the Dodgers.

Not only was Correa playing in Houston for the first time since being reacquired him from the Minnesota Twins, but Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman made his return following nine seasons with the Astros. Bregman, who finished 2-for-4 with a home run, reflected on the warm ovation he received from the crowd and how the Red Sox fashioned a late rally to get within a run.

“I feel like we’re playing really good baseball,” Bregman said. “Everyone in here is getting better and better every single game. I think we’re going to be right where we want to be.”

–Field Level Media