The Astros are completely dominating the Red Sox in the ALDS
- by Fredrick Graves
- in Sport
- — Oct 9, 2017
The Red Sox played their first game of a 5 game series against the very risky Houston Astros.
The Astros took control early.
Astros 1. Springer CF 2.
Are Fenway Park tickets just too expensive? Astros lead Red Sox, 8-2. He limited Boston to two runs on six hits over six innings, notching his first postseason win since 2013 with the Tigers.
It was just the 10th time a player hit three homers in a postseason game, and first since Pablo Sandoval for the Giants in the 2012 World Series opener against Detroit. So that whole walk-Altuve-to-face-Correa strategy backfired.
As if the Red Sox needed another handicap in a series which they're already the underdog, they lost DH Eduardo Nuñez in the first inning when he appeared to aggravate a right-knee injury that had kept him off the field for most of September. Betts promised after that game he would be good to go. He also hit a double.
The current Astros are hitting a collective.313 against Fister.
Tonight, the Astros will rely on the left arm of Dallas Keuchel to stifle Boston's offense again. They signed David Price in free agency for seven years and $217 million. He's been clutch in the postseason before (2.60 ERA over 55 innings), but John Farrell will no doubt have Price ready in long relief.
In Game 1, the Red Sox mustered up just two runs despite seven hits. But Pomeranz was rocked by the Astros on Friday.
Pomeranz won three of his last four decisions during the regular season and gave up fewer than two runs in three of his final four appearances. The Red Sox, facing elimination, are trying to avoid getting swept in the ALDS for the second straight year after losing to Cleveland last season. Pomeranz struggles made Sale's performance look like a walk in the park.
The '16 team had God's gift to slugging in David Ortiz and boasted the best offense in baseball. He had one hit in four trips to the plate on Friday, but it's in the field that he helped the Astros. His 12 pitch against the Astros was an overthrown, flat 84-mph slider that rookie third baseman Alex Bregman deposited in the leftfield seats. Boston failed to get a runner on base from the time there was one out in the second until there were two outs in the sixth.
"You plan for things like that but you never know if it's going to work out", said Luhnow, watching from the warning track in front of the home team's dugout as his team worked out Saturday afternoon at Fenway. Especially if the starter is Rodriguez or Fister, the bullpen will definitely play a role in the game. Game 2 will get underway today at 2:08pm ET and will air on Fox Sports 1. He has gone from a potential roster cut after spring training to the Astros Game 3 starter.
Red Sox players and fans sure hope so. Heading into the series, the pitcher that would start for the third game was up for debate among the media. Brad Peacock (13-2) starts for Houston against Doug Fister (5-9). Taijuan Walker will make his playoff debut for the Diamondbacks after ace Zack Greinke started and 15-game victor Robbie Ray relieved in the wild-card win Wednesday over Colorado.
