Astros beat Red Sox 5-4 in ALCS opener
HOUSTON — Carlos Correa paused a few seconds at the plate and tapped the spot on his wrist where a watch would be.
“It’s my time!” the Houston Astros star screamed.
That it is.
And if his time with the Astros runs out at the end of this season, the star shortstop sure is making this an October to remember.
Correa hit a tiebreaking home run in the seventh inning, hollering toward his dugout before beginning his trot around the bases and propelling the Astros over the Boston Red Sox 5-4 on Friday in the AL Championship Series opener.
“When the playoffs start, (my teammates) always tell me: ‘It’s your time. Now to go out there, hit homers,’ ” Correa said. “They told me to hit the watch when I hit the homer.”
Correa teamed with Jose Altuve to do just enough to overcome the heroics of Enrique Hernandez, who starred with his bat and glove for the wild-card Red Sox.
“I’ve been watching them for years, and it’s a pleasure to be watching them up close and personal,” manager Dusty Baker said. “And, boy, they are some clutch guys.”
Altuve tied the game with a tworun shot in the sixth before Correa connected off losing pitcher Hansel Robles with two outs in the seventh to put the Astros ahead 4-3.
Correa, who has been with the Astros since being selected first overall in 2012, becomes a free agent at season’s end and it seems likely that he won’t remain in Houston.
He has a history of big hits for the Astros that includes 18 postseason home runs, several of them in key, late situations.
“Playoff time, baby,” Correa said. “We want to be in the spotlight,” he said. “We want to be in the moment.”
He had three hits, and his performance gave him 55 postseason RBIs, passing Albert Pujols for the most among active MLB players.
Hernandez, who won a World Series with the Dodgers last year, homered twice among his four hits and likely saved multiple runs with two terrific catches.
His second homer came off closer Ryan Pressly to start the ninth and cut the lead to 5-4. But Pressly retired the next three batters to get the save.
“It would have been a lot cooler if we won the game,” Hernandez said.
Game 2 is today in Houston. Both teams leaned heavily on their bullpens after both Boston starter Chris Sale and Houston’s Framber Valdez were chased in the third.
Sale permitted five hits and a run in 2 2/3 innings. Valdez gave up six hits and three runs — two earned — while also getting just eight outs.
Ryne Stanek got the last out of the seventh for the win.
“Everything as a whole clicked a little bit better tonight. My command was spotty at times, but when I really needed it, I could bear down and grab what I’ve been looking for,” Sale said.