High-powered Astros roll
Houston again scores early, often in 8-2 victory
Carlos Correa, Jose Altuve and the high-powered Houston Astros led the majors in runs, hits and batting average in the regular season. Now that it’s playoff time, Houston is still hammering away.
Correa homered, doubled and drove in four runs, Altuve got two more hits and the host Astros battered the Boston Red Sox, 8-2, Friday to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the American League Division Series.
George Springer also homered to back Dallas Keuchel in Houston’s second consecutive romp by the exact same score.
“One through nine, everybody can do damage, everybody can go deep,” Correa said. “That’s the good thing about our lineup, there’s no holes in our lineup, and we feel very confident no matter if we went 0 for 4 the day before or if we went 4 for 4.”
The Astros will go for a sweep in the best-of-five matchup Sunday at Fenway Park, a year after Boston was swept in the ALDS by Cleveland. Brad Peacock (13-2) starts for Houston against Doug Fister (5-9).
“We couldn’t really script it any better,” Keuchel said.
A day after Altuve hit three home runs in the playoff opener, he got things going with a two-out single in the first inning off Drew Pomeranz. Correa, who went 0 for 4 on Thursday, made it 2-0 when he launched a towering shot onto the train tracks atop left field.
“For me if he’s not No. 1, he’s No. 2 in the league,” Altuve said of Correa, often referring to him as his little brother. “One of the best players, I’m really happy to have him on my team. Believe it or not I have learned from him.”
Keuchel pitched into the sixth, allowing one run and three hits while striking out seven to improve to 3-0 with a 0.96 ERA in three career postseason starts.
After Jackie Bradley Jr. had an RBI single in the Boston second, the Astros started to break away.
Springer hit his first postseason homer when he sent the second pitch of the third inning into the front row of the seats in right field.
So is Red Sox manager John Farrell surprised that the series has been this lopsided so far?
“They’re very good, they’re deep, and they have got a number of ways to beat you,” he said. “So we fully respect and understood the opponent, and they’re playing like that.”
A double by Alex Bregman set up an RBI single by Altuve later in the third, making it 41 and ending Pomeranz’s first career postseason start after two relief appearances. The lefty kept his head down as he trudged toward the dugout after being lifted.
“Any mistake that we’ve made these past two games, they’ve made us pay for them,” Pomeranz said. “It’s playoff baseball, and these guys have come out swinging.”
David Price, the starter-turned-reliever with the $217 million contract, pitched 2⅔ scoreless innings for the Red Sox. After his exit, Houston tacked on four runs in the sixth.
Keuchel, the 2015 AL Cy Young Award winner, known as much for his beard as his devastating sinker, was cheered on by Houston’s other famous bearded superstar as Rockets guard James Harden watched from a frontrow seat behind home plate.
Keuchel’s father, Dennis, also was in attendance and multiple television shots showed him looking a mixture of excited and nervous as he gazed at his son’s work.
The left-hander had trouble settling in early and after needing 30 pitches to get through the second inning, it looked like this start might be a short one. But he struck out the final two batters of that inning as the first of 13 he retired in a row.
Keuchel exited to a standing ovation after walking Hanley Ramirez with two outs in the sixth inning.
Altuve, who hit .346 this year, kept punishing pitchers. After singling in his first two trips to the plate, giving him five hits in the series, the Red Sox had seen enough and intentionally walked him in the fourth.
Other game
Indians 9, Yankees 8 : Yan Gomes singled home Austin Jackson from second base with none out in the 13th inning as host Cleveland rallied from five runs down to stun New York, 9-8, and snatch a 2-0 lead in the series.
Jackson drew a leadoff walk in the 13th from Dellin Betances and stole second. Gomes went to a full count before pulling a bouncer just inside the third-base bag, scoring Jackson. The Indians poured out of their dugout to mob Gomes, who ended the 5-hour, 8-minute thriller.
The Indians overcame an 8-3 deficit and a terrible start by ace Corey Kluber. Francisco Lindor hit a grand slam in the sixth to rally Cleveland.
Cleveland will try for a sweep Sunday in Game 3 at Yankee Stadium.