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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.

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

Game 7: Texas at Houston

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HOUSTON – (Wire Service Report) – Four years ago, the improbable became reality when the Houston Astros lost Game 7 of the 2019 World Series 6-2 to the Washington Nationals at Minute Maid Park, capping the first postseason series in league history during which the road team claimed every contest in a seven-game set.

With Houston’s 9-2 loss to the Rangers on Sunday in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series, the specter of a repeat of that dubious outcome grew exponentially when Texas forced a decisive Game 7 to be played today.

After producing a plus-11 run differential while sweeping Games 3-5 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, the Astros fell to 1-4 at home this postseason on the heels of posting a sub-.500 home record during the regular season.

An inability to produce in the clutch continues to plague the Astros, who finished 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position in Game 6 and are 2-for-17 in the ALCS at home in those situations. Houston loaded the bases with one out, trailing 4-2 in the bottom of the eighth inning, but failed to convert when Mauricio Dubon lined out to short and pinch hitter Jon Singleton struck out on Sunday.

“It’s disappointing,” said Astros manager Dusty Baker, who named right-hander Cristian Javier the starter for the series finale. “The name of the game is opportunities, and then after that, you hope that you come through. And, yeah, that was — that eighth inning where we had action, and especially with (Dubon) up there, this guy has been coming through all year long, and you know he’s going to make contact. And like I said, some days you just don’t get it done.”

Javier (2-0, 1.69 ERA this postseason) allowed two runs on three hits and one walk with three strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings in the Astros’ 8-5 victory in Game 3. Javier had not allowed a run in his three previous postseason starts and improved to 4-0 with a 0.82 ERA as a starter in the postseason.

Despite enduring an erratic season on the mound, Javier has maintained a levelheaded approach to his craft. With their season on the line, the Astros will require more of the same.

“My thought process is to stay positive and go out and just compete,” Javier said.

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The Rangers, who improved to 7-0 on the road this postseason, will counter with veteran right-hander Max Scherzer, who took the loss opposite Javier in Game 3 in what was his postseason debut for Texas and his first appearance since Sept. 12. Scherzer had been sidelined with a muscle strain in his shoulder before returning against the Astros and allowing five runs on five hits and one walk with four strikeouts over four innings.

Though Scherzer (0-1, 11.25) was adamant in the aftermath of that appearance that his arm was healthy, the Rangers are in a position to opt for alternative options should he scuffle after right-hander Nathan Eovaldi logged 6 1/3 innings on Sunday.

“Well, we have a full bullpen because of the job that Nate did,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said. “So, they’re all hands on deck, as they say. They’re all available. You look at matchups and things like that. But they’re all ready to go.”

Incidentally, Scherzer was the starting pitcher for the Nationals in that fateful Game 7 in 2019.

–MK Bower, Field Level Media

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Rangers, Eovaldi Force Game 7

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HOUSTON — Texas SP Nathan Eovaldi remained unbeaten this postseason, while teammates Mitch Garver had three hits and two RBIs and Adolis Garcia socked a grand slam as the Texas Rangers defeated the host Houston Astros 9-2 in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series on Sunday.

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The Rangers squared the best-of-seven series at 3-3 and forced a decisive Game 7 on Monday by extending their road winning streak to seven games this postseason. Texas won for just the second time in 10 games when facing elimination and snapped a five-game skid in such contests.

The road team has won all six games of the ALCS. The road team won all seven games of the 2019 World Series, with the Astros falling to the Washington Nationals at Minute Maid Park.

The Rangers got a solo home run from Garver leading off the second inning and a two-run blast by Jonah Heim in the fourth to take a 3-1 lead.

Eovaldi (4-0) settled in after surrendering an RBI single to Yordan Alvarez in the bottom of the first that scored Jose Altuve. He retired the side in order in the second and fourth and worked around a pair of walks in the third before Alvarez led off the sixth with a single.

Alvarez subsequently scored on Mauricio Dubon’s sacrifice fly that cut the margin to 3-2, but Eovaldi held the line there. He departed after surrendering a one-out single to Altuve in the seventh. He was charged with two runs on five hits and three walks, and he struck out four.

The Astros finished 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position against Eovaldi and 1-for-8 overall.

Garver knotted the score at 1-1 with his opposite-field blast to right off Astros left-hander Framber Valdez (0-3). Two innings later, Valdez quickly recorded two outs before Garver singled ahead of Heim, whose two-run shot also went the opposite way to right, giving Texas a 3-1 lead.

Garver produced an RBI double in the eighth off Astros reliever Bryan Abreu, scoring Evan Carter, who reached on an infield single and stole second base.

Rangers closer Jose Leclerc then pitched out of a jam in the bottom of the eighth, getting Dubon to hit a soft liner to shortstop Corey Seager before winning an eight-pitch confrontation against pinch-hitter Jon Singleton with a strikeout to strand the bases loaded.

Garcia, who was 0-for-4 with four strikeouts and serenaded with boos during every plate appearance, blew it open with a grand slam off Astros reliever Ryne Stanek in the ninth.

–By MK Bower, Field Level Media

Rangers Nip Astros in Battle of Texas

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HOUSTON — Outpitched by his counterpart of the Texas Rangers, left-hander Jordan Montgomery, Houston Astros right-hander Justin Verlander didn’t appear overly concerned in the aftermath of a 2-0 loss in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series on Sunday.

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Participating in their seventh consecutive ALCS, the longest such streak in AL postseason history, the Astros have shown resilience plenty of times previously. Their inability to solve Montgomery made for a micro issue, but it didn’t leave the 2022 World Series champions feeling any sense of hopelessness despite falling into a 1-0 hole in the best-of-seven series.

Houston won’t have to wait long for a chance to even things, as it plays host to the Rangers today in Game 2 of the ALCS.

“We lost Game 1 in the World Series last year,” Verlander said. “We’ve lost Game 1 of some playoff series before. And that’s the great thing about this team.

“Obviously, nobody is sitting in the locker room right now happy. But it’s very matter of fact. We just got punched. How do you answer?”

Left-hander Framber Valdez (0-1, 10.38 ERA in postseason) is the scheduled starter for the Astros in Game 2. He allowed five runs on seven hits and three walks with five strikeouts over 4 1/3 innings in a 6-2 loss to the Minnesota Twins in Game 2 of the AL Division Series.

The loss dropped Valdez, who finished 12-11 with a 3.45 ERA across 31 regular-season starts, to 7-3 with a 3.82 ERA over 14 career postseason appearances (13 starts).

Valdez is 7-5 with a 2.90 ERA over 16 career appearances (13 starts) against the Rangers. In three starts against Texas this season, Valdez finished 1-2 with a 4.32 ERA.

Right-hander Nathan Eovaldi (2-0, 1.32) has the starting assignment for the Rangers on Monday. He has allowed one run in each of his two starts this postseason, with Texas clinching series against the Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles with Eovaldi on the bump. Eovaldi has recorded 15 strikeouts against 11 hits and zero walks in 13 2/3 innings this postseason.

Eovaldi is 3-4 with a 4.42 ERA over 10 career regular-season starts against the Astros. He was the pitcher of record in a 14-1 loss to Houston on Sept. 5 after surrendering four runs on five hits — including two home runs — and one walk with one strikeout while recording only four outs.

Eovaldi finished 1-1 with a 4.32 ERA in two starts against the Astros this season, including a 5-2 win at Minute Maid Park after he tossed seven shutout innings while allowing two hits and issuing four walks.

The Rangers showcased a blueprint for how they plan to attack Astros left-handed slugger Yordan Alvarez, who recorded a 1.783 on-base-plus-slugging percentage with four home runs in the ALDS against the Twins.

Montgomery recorded three strikeouts of Alvarez by working inside with fastballs before finishing him off with curveballs. Alvarez produced an .892 OPS against left-handed pitching during the regular season but finished 0-for-4 against Montgomery and southpaw reliever Aroldis Chapman, who got Alvarez to roll a harmless ground ball to first baseman Nathaniel Lowe to conclude the eighth.

“Yeah, obviously he’s a really good hitter, so you kind of have to do a little bit of everything to him,” Montgomery said. “But we kind of worked the fastball in and out and threw some curveballs for strikes and expanded and made some big pitches when we needed to.”

Sox Season of 2023: “Swept Away”

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Houston Astros capped their first-ever series sweep at Fenway Park with a 7-4 win over the host Boston Red Sox Wednesday afternoon.

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Houston’s Jeremy Pena hit a double and a triple, scored two runs and drove in another to pace the Astros, which scored three runs in both the second and third innings, added another in the fourth and held on for its fifth consecutive victory. Houston’s Michael Brantley, just off the 60-day IL, had two hits, two RBIs and a run, while Alex Bregman and Martin Maldonado each added two hits and an RBI.

Astros starter Framber Valdez (10-9) struck out five across six innings of five-hit ball. He allowed four runs (two earned). Ryan Pressly threw a scoreless ninth to notch his 29th save. Red Sox starter Kutter Crawford (6-7) was tagged for six runs on seven hits across 2 2/3 innings.

Red Sox Can’t Climb Out of Rut

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – With August drawing to a close, the Boston Red Sox are seeing their playoff hopes fade.

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The Red Sox, who are now 6 1/2 games out of the final American League wild-card spot, will attempt to salvage the finale of a three-game series against the visiting Houston Astros on Wednesday afternoon.

In Houston’s 6-2 win on Tuesday, the Astros took advantage of a Boston error in the fifth inning after back-to-back home runs by Alex Bregman and Yordan Alvarez in the first set the tone.

Brayan Bello was the fourth straight Red Sox starter who failed to complete five innings.

“We are where we are because we’ve struggled in certain areas of the game,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “It’s catching up (with us) now.”

Right-hander Kutter Crawford (6-6, 3.65 ERA) will look to give the Red Sox a much-needed strong start today.

Crawford struck out seven and allowed just two runs on four hits across five innings in a no-decision against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday.

In his lone career start vs. Houston, Crawford allowed just one run on seven hits across six innings in a victory on Aug. 2, 2022.

The Red Sox, in the midst of a difficult week that also included call-up Kyle Barraclough being tagged for 10 runs on 11 hits in 4 1/3 innings on Monday, promoted top prospect Ceddanne Rafaela from Triple-A Worcester to make his major league debut.

Rafaela is the No. 3 prospect in the organization, according to MLB Pipeline.

“Obviously this is a different level, but we expect him to come in, and whenever he plays, just go out there and have fun playing center. He can play short. He can run,” Cora said. “He’s been hitting for power. Discipline has been a lot better the last few weeks, which is very important at this level.”

Rafaela recorded his first hit in Boston’s 13-5, series-opening loss on Monday but has yet to make a major league start.

Boston is also getting impressive production from center fielder Adam Duvall, who has hit seven home runs during his current nine-game hitting streak. He homered for the fourth game in a row on Tuesday.

The Astros have won four straight games, amassing 66 hits in that span to tie a franchise record. They climbed into a three-way tie for first place on Tuesday with the Seattle Mariners and the Texas Rangers.

Though he went 0-for-4 in the Tuesday win, Michael Brantley provided a boost to the Houston lineup in his return from right shoulder surgery.

Brantley last played in the majors on June 26, 2022. He went 14-for-47 (.298) with a homer and 12 RBIs in 16 rehab games for Triple-A Sugar Land.

“It’s great to have him back, he’s worked hard to get back to this point,” Astros manager Dusty Baker said. “He’s been as patient as any man can be. He’s the consummate team man, team player, team leader.”

Left-hander Framber Valdez (9-9, 3.40 ERA) will take the mound for Houston in the series finale.

Valdez no-hit the Cleveland Guardians on Aug. 1 before allowing 16 runs (15 earned) on 24 hits over his next three starts, but he bounced back for seven no-hit innings on Friday in a no-decision at Detroit.

Valdez worked around five walks and a hit batter vs. the Tigers.

“That was part of my plan, just mix a lot of my pitches,” Valdez said through an interpreter. “Mix them up, mix them around, try not to get predictable.”

In four career appearances (two starts) against the Red Sox, Valdez is 2-1 with a 1.59 ERA.

–Field Level Media

Red Sox: Can Bello Bounce Back?

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BOSTON – Two of baseball’s best young pitchers face off when the Boston Red Sox host the Houston Astros in the middle game of a three-game series on Tuesday night.

The Red Sox will turn to 24-year-old right-hander Brayan Bello (10-7, 3.56 ERA) after he recorded his team-leading 10th win on Thursday in Houston, pitching seven innings of one-run ball with four strikeouts.

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Bello’s mound opponent that day, in a contest the Red Sox won 17-1 to gain a four-game series split with the Astros, was J.P. France (9-5, 3.51 ERA). The same two pitchers will clash on Tuesday.

Bello is 1-0 with a 1.17 ERA against the Astros in his career over one relief appearance and the one start last week.

The Thursday blowout was crucial for Boston, which is attempting to chase down on American League wild-card spot.

“It was very important for us to split (last week’s) series,” Bello said through an interpreter. “When we lost the first two games, I talked to Chris Sale. I told him, ‘It’s up to us to try to split the series and try to win these two games.’ And we did it.”

Three losses in four games have since followed, including a 13-5, season-opening setback to the Astros on Monday in Boston.

Another strong start from Bello will be vital. He is 3-1 with a 3.26 ERA over five games in August.

The Red Sox are 15-7 this season in Bello’s starts.

“He’s good against everybody,” Boston manager Alex Cora said earlier this month. “I think we get caught up sometimes on (him giving up) three runs in six innings. The lefties are hitting him and all that, but it’s part of the progression. He’s still learning and he’s good.”

Another Boston player who has been very good of late is Adam Duvall. The reigning American League Player of the Week has homered six times over his past eight games, including a long ball on Monday.

The Astros’ offense is hot, too, having matched the single-game franchise record with 25 hits in a 17-4 win at Detroit on Sunday and then scoring 10 of its 13 runs in the sixth through eighth innings the following night.

Houston has also set a franchise record for most hits in consecutive games (43) and in a three-game span (57).

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Monday’s highlight was Jose Altuve becoming the first Astro since 2013 to hit for the cycle. Altuve and Yordan Alvarez each had four hits, including Alvarez’s first home run since Aug. 6.

On the mound, France will look to rebound from the shortest and worst outing of his rookie season. The 28-year-old allowed 10 runs on 11 hits in 2 1/3 innings on Thursday in his first career meeting with the Red Sox.

“It seemed like everything I threw they were hitting, whether it was cutters away, heaters in, heaters away,” France said. “Just one of those days.”

–Field Level Media

New England’s Pena Returns to Fenway

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BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Boston Red Sox and Houston Astros will switch locations for their second meeting in as many weeks, beginning a three-game series Monday night at Fenway Park. After splitting last week’s series with Boston, the Astros swung their way to back-to-back wins to end the weekend in Detroit, including recording 25 hits in Sunday’s 17-4 win.

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Reigning World Series MVP Jeremy Pena went 5-for-6 with three RBIs and three runs to lead the way. He has reached base at a .426 clip in August.

“When you perform well, it breeds confidence,” Astros manager Dusty Baker said. “There was a time (when Pena) was struggling, but that’s behind him and it’s time to look forward.”

Pena is a former Rhode Island resident and University of Maine product, meaning the 25-year-old star shortstop has extra confidence entering the series at Fenway.

“I always say it’s home,” Pena said. “I grew up going to Pawtucket games, Triple-A for the Red Sox, seeing all those guys before they were in the big leagues. I’m going to have a lot of friends, a lot of family. So I always look forward to that series.”

Houston’s Cristian Javier (9-2, 4.52 ERA) will make his second straight start against the Red Sox after taking the ball last Monday and working five, three-run innings. The right-hander tied his season high of 105 pitches in that outing.

Javier will face Boston for the fifth time in his career (third start). He is 1-1 with a 3.50 ERA in the previous meetings.

Despite homering in 16 consecutive games, the Red Sox have lost four of their last seven after losing two of three to the Dodgers this past weekend after the series in Houston. Thursday’s final game of the Astros series was a 17-1 Boston win.

Boston left-hander Chris Sale (5-3, 4.68) will make his fourth start since returning from the 60-day injured list with left shoulder inflammation.

The Red Sox are 10-4 in Sale’s starts this season and 5-1 in his last six after he retired the last nine batters he faced in a no-decision in Houston last Wednesday. He allowed four runs on six hits but struck out nine over five innings.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora is expecting more out of his rotation over the final month of the season, with Tanner Houck and Sale having recently returned from injuries.

“That’s part of 162. Guys are going to go six or seven, and then they are going to grind through it. We’ve just got to find a way. We got to get better,” Cora said. “We’ve been facing some good hitters, tough lineups just like ours that they’re gonna keep grinding with you.”

Sale allowed all four earned runs in the first three frames before settling in for the remainder of his most recent outing.

“Obviously didn’t get off on the right foot but just grinded,” Sale said of that effort. “Sometimes you’ve got to do that. It’s not always going to be pretty.”

Sale is 5-3 with a 2.56 ERA in 10 career starts against the Astros, whom he had not faced since 2019 before last week.

–Field Level Media

Red Sox Drub Astros, 17-1

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HOUSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston’s Wilyer Abreu clubbed his first big-league home run and was one of eight Red Sox batters to record multiple hits as the visiting Sox cruised to a 17-1 drubbing of the Houston Astros on Thursday afternoon.

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Abreu went 4-for-5 with four RBIs, two runs and a walk. Connor Wong and Alex Verdugo – the duao acquired in the Sox trade for Mookie Betts years ago – also had four hits and five other players had two apiece for the Red Sox, who earned a split of the four-game series.

All nine batters in Boston’s starting lineup recorded at least one RBI and at least one of the club’s season-high 24 hits. The offensive showcase provided more than enough run support for Red Sox starter Brayan Bello (10-7), who gave up one run on nine hits in seven innings.

Alex Bregman drove in Houston’s lone run with a single. Mauricio Dubon doubled twice for the Astros, who went 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position and left 11 men on base. The 16-run deficit is tied for the largest in Astros history.