Red Sox win 7-5 to even ALCS 1-1
BOSTON — David Price was good enough, the Red Sox bullpen was even better and Jackie Bradley Jr. delivered a go-ahead, three-run double off the Green Monster on Sunday night to lead Boston to a 7-5 victory over the Houston Astros and tie the American League Championship Series at one game apiece.
Price fell one out short of his first career postseason win as a starter but still went back to the winning clubhouse for the first time in 11 playoff starts.
Red Sox closer Craig Kimbrel gave up an RBI single to Jose Altuve with two outs in the ninth before Alex Bregman hit a fly ball that was caught on the warning track in left field to end it, handing Houston its first loss in five playoff games this year.
Game 3 is Tuesday in Houston, followed by two more there and a chance for the 2017 World Series champion Astros to clinch a second straight AL pennant at home.
Price was spotted a two-run lead in the first inning and then fell behind 4-2 before Bradley clanged one off the left-field wall that Astros left fielder Marwin Gonzalez helplessly chased as it bounced back toward the infield.
Price left with a 5-4 lead after walking Tyler White on four pitches with two outs in the fifth, his second walk of the inning; in all, the Red Sox left-hander was charged with four runs on five hits and four walks, striking out four.
Matt Barnes struck out Gonzalez to end the inning and then pitched a perfect sixth to earn the victory. Ryan Brasier pitched a scoreless inning and erstwhile starter Rick Porcello set the Astros down 1-2-3 in the eighth.
Kimbrel retired the first two batters in the ninth, then George Springer hit his second double of the game. Altuve followed with a drive off the left-field wall, stopping at first when he slipped rounding the bag.
Bregman launched a high fly to left that Andrew Benintendi caught a step in front of the Green Monster.
Gerrit Cole, who was so dominant in his AL Division Series start against Cleveland, gave up a double to Mookie Betts — the first batter of the game — as Boston sent eight batters to the plate in the first inning. Benintendi singled to score Betts and scored himself on a single by Rafael Devers, who was making his first appearance of the series.
The AL Central champs tied it in the second on Springer’s two-run double down the right-field line. Gonzalez cleared the Green Monster — and the seats above them — with a two-run homer in the third.