Off to Texas all even
JBJ, Betts deliver Sox with big hits
It couldn’t get much worse for the Red Sox in a Game 1 loss where pretty much everything went wrong, and the collective focus of the team afterward was about turning the page, which they had done all season.
Alex Cora stopped short of calling it a mustwin game, but they knew they couldn’t go to Houston in an 0-2 American League Championship Series hole — certainly not against the defending world champions.
So they responded the best way they know how.
A night after they looked lethargic, the Sox played with more urgency. David Price wasn’t electrifying but he was certainly better, and the offense and bullpen stepped up to deliver a 7-5 win over Houston and even the best-of-seven series at a game apiece.
Game 3 is tomorrow night at Minute Maid Park.
In Game 1, the offense was dormant and couldn’t take advantage of a golden opportunity against Justin Verlander. Mookie Betts was hard on himself and knew he needed to pick it up, and so did his teammates.
The Red Sox trailed 4-2 in the third when they loaded the bases with one out. A night prior they did the same against Verlander, but could only scratch out a run.
This time, Jackie Bradley Jr. made no mistake.
After Ian Kinsler struck out for the second out, the center fielder produced possibly the biggest hit of his career — smoking a 2-1 fastball from Gerrit Cole to the opposite field that barely stayed fair in the corner. It cleared the bases, and Bradley stood on second with a double.
It was all the Sox needed against Cole, whose five runs allowed were the most he’s given up all season.
It was also enough to bail out Price, who was better but not his best in his second start of the playoffs. A week after possibly his worst career postseason start, recording just five outs in Game 2 against the Yankees, the lefty was stronger against the Astros.
Price’s location was sharper, and he blended his velocity better — both things Cora wanted to see — in his 42⁄3 innings that were spoiled by some bad luck in the second inning and a bad pitch that was nearly crushed out of the park. He did not get that elusive first playoff win as a starter but it was the first time his team won a game in 11 career postseason starts.
Betts, who has been quiet this postseason, was ready last night. He hit a leadoff double to start the first, and Andrew Benintendi followed with a single to give the Sox the quick lead.
Two batters later, Cole fielded a Xander Bogaerts comebacker, looked off Benintendi at second before firing wide to first. After a walk and an out, Rafael Devers came through with an RBI single to left, but the Sox couldn’t put more runs on the board.
Price had the early lead, but he couldn’t hold it. In the second, the Astros put two runners in scoring position, and George Springer blooped a 1-0 fastball into right field for a two-run double.
Price was one strike away from getting out of the third when he missed on a fastball to Marwin Gonzalez, who deposited a two-run homer off the National Car Rental billboard above the Green Monster.
But after Bradley gave him back the lead, Price buckled down and the bullpen took care of the rest.
Price exited with two outs in the fifth, when Matt Barnes struck out Gonzalez to end the inning. Barnes then pitched a scoreless sixth and Ryan Braiser pitched a clean seventh. Starter Rick Porcello came on in relief to mow down the order in the eighth.
The Sox got much-needed insurance in the seventh when Betts scored on a passed ball. Betts then smoked an RBI double in the eighth.
Despite some shakiness in the ninth, Craig Kimbrel picked up the save, his third this postseason.