Astros’ Peacock ready for ‘biggest start of my career’

BOSTON — The Astros sent out their big pitching guns in Games 1 and 2 of the ALDS with Justin Verlander and Dallas Keuchel earning victories, but Game 3 starter Brad Peacock is on a roll and the Astros fully expect him to wrap up the series sweep Sunday at Fenway Park against the Red Sox.

Over his past seven starts Peacock owns a 2.29 ERA as opposing hitters are batting just .184 against him. Over those 39 ¹/3 innings, Peacock has struck out 40 and walked just 12 earning A.J. Hinch’s confi- dence to give him such a key start.

For the season, Peacock is an impressive 13-2 with a 3.00 ERA as he won 10 of his final 11 decision.

The right-hander began the year in the Astros bullpen, but command of his curveball has enabled Peacock to show his true colors on the mound.

“Breaking camp, he just wanted to make the team,’’ Hinch said Saturday at Fenway Park. “So to go from just wanting to make the team to pitching in Game 3 of the division series is an incredible step for him. But the breakthrough for him I think came midseason when he got on this roll out of the rotation. He started realizing how many swings and misses he could get with his breaking ball. His fastball’s always been good, and the confidence level for him to go up against any lineup, right- or left-handed, and have his pitches be effective just built confidence in him.’’

Trevor Bauer dominated the Yankees hitters in Game 1 with his curveball, and the Astros are hoping for the same kind of success for Peacock as he goes against Boston’s Doug Fister. This is the opposite of the Game 1 matchup when it was ace versus ace in Verlander taking on Chris Sale. The postseason has a way of making heroes.

Peacock, 29, is 24-19 lifetime with a 4.05 ERA. Fister, 33, is 82-85 over his career with a 3.68 ERA. He owns a 4-2 record with an impressive 2.60 ERA in nine postseason appearances, eight starts.

Hinch said Peacock has the perfect approach for Fenway.

“He never waivers, he never panics, the moment’s never too big for him, and it’s going to come up key tomorrow when’s pitching in Fenway for the second time in a week,’’ Hinch said of Peacock, who beat the Red Sox, 12-2, at the end of the regular season.

Catcher Brian McCann said Peacock might be the Astros pitching MVP considering his body of work. Peacock said if someone told him at the start of the year he would be in this position, he never would have believed it.

“I would have told them they were crazy,’’ Peacock said. “But just being here is special for me. Been humbled along the way, been injured along the way, and just makes it that much more special for me, for sure. Biggest start of my career and hopefully I can keep saying that as it goes on for sure.’’