AL: Red Sox Level Series
LOS ANGELES (AFP) – Jackie Bradley Jr’s three-run double in the third inning fueled the Boston Red Sox in a 7-5 victory over the Houston Astros that knotted their Major League Baseball playoff series at one game each on Sunday.
The Red Sox, stung by the reigning World Series champion Astros in game one on Saturday, bounced back at Fenway Park to make it 1-1 in the best-of-seven American League Championship Series, that heads to Houston for games three, four and five.
The winner of the series will take on either the Los Angeles Dodgers or Milwaukee Brewers in the World Series. The Dodgers and Brewers were tied at 1-1 in the National League Championship Series heading into game three on Monday in Los Angeles.
Boston starter David Price was one out shy of his first post-season win as a starter, departing with two outs in the fifth inning with the Red Sox up 5-4.
‘’It wasn’t the line I dreamed of having tonight but our offence, our defence rallied together,’’ said Price.
‘‘We won. That’s my first team win as a starter. If it’s baby steps it’s baby steps. I am very happy we won.’’
But Boston’s bullpen held the line. Relief pitcher Matt Barnes got four outs and Ryan Brasier worked around a two-out walk in the seventh for a scoreless inning.
Rick Porcello made his second appearance as a relief pitcher of this post-season, working a perfect eighth inning before Craig Kimbrel closed it out in the ninth.
‘‘He threw the ball well,’’ said Red Sox manager Alex Cora of Price. ‘‘He had good velocity, started mixing up his changeup. Overall his stuff was good, command was good.’’
The Red Sox opened the scoring in the first inning as Mookie Betts led off with a double and Andrew Benintendi and Rafael Devers delivered run-scoring singles off Astros starting pitcher Gerrit Cole.
The Astros pulled level in the second thanks to a double from George Springer that plated two runs, and Houston took the lead in the top of the third on Marwin Gonzalez’s two-run home run off a Price fastball.
Boston responded in the bottom of the third, loading the bases with one out.
After Ian Kinsler struck out, Bradley belted an opposite field double off the Green Monster outfield wall, the ball rattling around in the corner to elude Gonzalez and allow three runs to score.
The Red Sox added an insurance run in the seventh, when Betts led off with a walk and scored for a 6-4 lead on a wild pitch and two passed balls.