Frustrating finale
Sale, Kimbrel can’t seal victory to extend series
If only they hadn’t shown up flat-footed, blinded by the postseason lights and shaken by the thunderous bats of the Houston Astros in Games 1 and 2, the Red Sox’ season might still be alive.
They made it entertaining till the final out, at least.
After a dramatic Game 3 win on Sunday, the Red Sox pushed the Astros to the brink of a Game 5 yesterday, riding a strong relief effort from Chris Sale a little too far while closer Craig Kimbrel shattered behind him in a heartbreaking 5-4 loss that ended the American League Division Series and the Sox’ season.
“We just weren’t good enough,” said Dustin Pedroia, who made the final out. “They beat us. They played better than we did at the right time. That’s why they’re moving on.”
The Red Sox were six outs away from forcing a Game 5 thanks in large part to Sale.
But instead of going with another reliever to start the eighth inning against Alex Bregman, the Red Sox chose to stick with Sale.
Sale, who had thrown 65 pitches in relief of Rick Porcello entering the eighth inning, threw a 2-1 changeup to Bregman and watched it sail out of the park.
“I felt good, I felt strong,” Sale said. “I wish I could have got it done.”
Bregman’s solo homer tied the game and, after Craig Kimbrel replaced Sale three batters later, the Astros scored another in the eighth on a two-out single by Josh Reddick, who poked one through the left side of the infield.
Kimbrel was erratic. He walked the first batter he faced, George Springer, before Reddick singled. And in the ninth, he plunked Marwin Gonzalez with one out and then gave up a two-out single to Yuli Gurriel.
The Red Sox left him in the game and pinch-hitter Carlos Beltran hit a two-out RBI double that provided the eventual gamewinning run.
“Then the second inning, I went out there and gave everything I had,” said Kimbrel, who threw 38 pitches, more than he had thrown in any outing this season. “It wasn’t quite good enough.”
Sale, who was making his first relief appearance since 2012, was plenty good enough until the eighth.
With David Price unavailable, Sale played the role of Price and replaced Rick Porcello, who went three innings and walked a tightrope, giving up two runs on 70 pitches.
At the point Sale took over in the fourth, the Red Sox were down 2-1, their only run a solo shot by Xander Bogaerts in the first.
But the Sox flipped it around against Justin Verlander, who was making his first career relief appearance, to take a 3-2 lead in the fifth.
Verlander threw a 2-2 slider right to Andrew Benintendi and the rookie launched it high and deep enough to right for a tworun shot.
Sale’s slider was much sharper than it was when he allowed seven runs in Game 1, and he cruised until the seventh inning, when he put two on base before escaping unscathed.
Kimbrel was warming up as Sale went out to start the eighth.
“Chris was rolling,” Kimbrel said.
After the Bregman homer, Sale then recorded the second out before Kimbrel came on and allowed the go-ahead run.
“In a position with six outs to go, up a run, and Chris Sale who was still strong, still throwing the ball extremely well, I felt like we were in a good position,” said manager John Farrell, who was ejected for arguing balls and strikes in the second inning.
Rafael Devers hit a leadoff, inside-the-park homer in the ninth, but the Red Sox did nothing else against closer Ken Giles.
It wasn’t enough against a tough Houston team that outscored the Sox 16-4 in the first two games.
“I mean we didn’t want it to take a few games to get going,” Bogaerts said. “We wanted to win every game. Playing on the road is obviously a disadvantage. . . . Credit to them, they were swinging a real hot bat at home. When you play at your home you tend to have a lot more confidence, the fans cheering you on. The atmosphere is something you’re used to.
“Just looking forward to next year, I guess.”