Red Sox hope to avoid sweep

If the Boston Red Sox are nervous about the possibility of being swept out of the playoffs for the second straight year, they were trying hard not to show it on Saturday.

A year after losing in David Ortiz’s final game and being eliminated 3-0 by the Cleveland Indians in the AL Division Series, Boston returns to Fenway Park again on the cusp of another early post-season exit.

The Houston Astros picked apart Boston’s top two starting pitchers in Games 1 and 2, roughing up Chris Sale and Drew Pomeranz in back-to-back, 8-2 victories at Minute Maid Park.

Brad Peacock starts for the Astros.

Back on its home field, Boston will try to stick around for at least another game, this time pinning its hopes with right hander Doug Fister, a June waiver signing who became a regular in the starting rotation only because of injuries.

“Now is not a time to change up our game plan or our execution. It’s a matter of going out there, staying with what we do and do what we do best,” Fister said.

Meanwhile, the Astros have thus far avoided a post-season letdown after clinching the AL West crown in mid-September.

Manager A.J. Hinch said he’s gotten exactly what he hoped to out of his young core. His top four hitters — George Springer, Alex Bregman, Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa — have all come through, combining to go 12 of 32 with six home runs and 10 RBIs through two games. Altuve had three home runs alone in Game 1.

“The strength of this team will continue to be not only those big names ... but the depth of his lineup,” Hinch said.