Sox own edge on mound heading to Fenway
HOUSTON — Chris Sale said after Friday’s Game 1 loss that there was not “another guy on the planet” that he would rather have on the mound for Saturday’s Game 2.
Given the circumstances, the Red Sox’ All-Star pitcher lived up to his teammate’s billing.
It may have been something of an afterthought after J.D. Martinez and Rafael Devers connected on grand slams to fuel the Red Sox’ 9-5 victory over the Astros and even the American League Championship Series, but Nathan Eovaldi’s performance was critical as the series moves forward. The 5 1/3 innings with three runs allowed were satisfactory by his standards, but it sets the Red Sox on a great path.
Nick Pivetta didn’t have to pitch, neither did Eduardo Rodriguez, and with a day off Sunday before Monday’s Game 3, none of the arms in the bullpen are overworked.
This was part of manager Alex Cora’s decision to start Sale in Game 1, and then Eovaldi in Game 2. They had a fully rested bullpen behind Sale, who was working through recent struggles, and they were needed after he only recorded eight outs. Though it ended in a loss, they were banking on Eovaldi to go deep before Sunday’s off day, which would allow the bullpen to reset again.
“There’s a reason we map things the way we do,” Cora said. “Some people don’t agree with us, but I think we have a pretty good pulse of what we do in our program. (Friday) we almost pulled that off. Obviously, we want Chris to go deeper, and I think he will, but having Nate in Game 2 understanding and knowing that there’s a good chance he is going to go deep in the game with the off day tomorrow, we felt comfortable with the way we did things.
“He has been a horse for us, he’s been amazing, and he went out there and did an amazing job.”
Cora’s plan may not have been executed perfectly — they certainly would like Sale to pitch beyond the third inning moving forward — but they left Houston with what they were searching for, which was a split. And they seem to have the pitching edge against the Astros as the series heads back to Boston.
Framber Valdez lasted just 2 2/3 innings in Game 1, and Luis Garcia only pitched an inning in Game 2. That forced the Astros to use their bullpen to cover 14 1/3 innings over the first two games, and throw all their plans out of the window.
Garcia left Saturday’s game with right knee discomfort, and his status is uncertain for the rest of the series. Jake Odorizzi, who was supposed to start Game 4, was thrust into action Saturday — by his own admission, caught off guard by having to pitch four innings — and it’s unknown when he can pitch again.
And the Astros are already missing their ace, Lance McCullers Jr., who’s out for the ALCS with a forearm injury.
“We have got to try to figure it out,” Astros manager Dusty Baker said. “We had planned on (Odorizzi) being a Game 4 starter, but every time you make a plan, it’s always followed by something, and today it was followed by the grand slam in the first.”
Simply put: The Astros’ pitching staff is scrambling after Game 2, while the Red Sox like the spot they’re in.
“For us to be able to stay away from Eddie and Pivetta is huge for us going back to Boston,” Eovaldi said.