Final, Astros 3-2: The Red Sox put two runners on, but they couldn’t pull out any late-inning heroics.
Left-hander Tony Sipp came in to close things out for the Astros. Betts and Holt hit back-to-back one-out singles, and Porter saw enough from Sipp. Righty Chad Qualls came in to face Pedey, who grounded into a game-ending double play. It was a close call at first, so Farrell challenged for good measure, but the call (rightfully) stood.
Houston ended Boston’s winning streak at three games, but perhaps the biggest disappointment was the loss that Peavy earned after seven unbelievable innings with nine strikeouts and only one walk. The Red Sox stranded 11 runners.
Luckily, Boston still will have the opportunity to win the series Sunday at 2:10 p.m. ET.
End 8th, Astros 3-2: The Astros pulled ahead, and Peavy might have to take the loss, as it was his baserunner who scored.
Altuve hit a stand-up double to deep left, and that was the end of Peavy’s stellar outing. Southpaw Andrew Miller was called on to lock things down.
Castro grounded out to second, and the speedy Altuve made his way to third. Miller intentionally walked Springer to face Singleton, who had struck out three times. He made Boston look good by striking out again, and Red Sox manager John Farrell turned to right-hander Junichi Tazawa.
Tazawa induced a ground ball from Carter, but it was a tough play for Holt to make at second, and Springer was safe while Altuve scored.
Taz found himself in a bases-loaded jam when Dominguez singled, but he struck out Grossman to get out of trouble.
The Red Sox will have to make some noise next inning to stay in the game.
Mid 8th, 2-2: Fields took the Red Sox down in order.
Gomes went down by way of the K, his third swinging strikeout of the day.
Bogaerts couldn’t check his swing and took a strikeout of his own, and Ross flied out to right field.
End 7th, 2-2: It truly will be a shame if Peavy doesn’t earn the win in this one.
Peavy started the half-inning by striking out Dominguez for his ninth K of the game.
Grossman worked a full count and ended up with a walk, Peavy’s first of the game.
Hernandez hit one back to Peavy, who knocked it down and made the play at first. Grossman already had taken off before the play and made it to second no problem.
Napoli made a nice pick on a ball off the bat of Gonzalez, and Peavy slid into first to make the final out.
Gomes is due up to start off the eighth inning.
Mid 7th, 2-2: The Red Sox got to the Astros’ bullpen and knotted the score in the seventh.
Bradley started the inning by sneaking a grounder into right-center field for a single, and Betts knocked a single into right-center that was hard enough for JBJ to make his way to third.
Astros manager Bo Porter turned to his bullpen with one out, electing to have former Red Sox right-hander Josh Fields face Pedroia, who gave him a run for his money. Pedey put up a nine-pitch at-bat and popped out to center, deep enough for Bradley to score from third.
Fields intentionally walked Ortiz with two outs, and Napoli worked a full count but struck out swinging.
Betts got his first major league stolen base in the process.
Peavy will return for another inning.
End 6th, Astros 2-1: The Astros once again put a runner on third, but Peavy held it down.
Castro tripled on a fly ball to center to start things off. Springer grounded out to short, and Peavy retired the side by striking out Singleton and Carter.
Peavy has eight strikeouts on the day.
Mid 6th, Astros 2-1: The Red Sox are in the business of stranding baserunners.
Napoli hit a hard one-hopper to left for a single to start things off, but Oberholtzer retired the side shortly after.
Gomes got called out on a foul tip that hit his bat inside, Bogaerts flied out to right and Ross grounded out to third.
End 5th, Astros 2-1: The Astros threatened, but Peavy settled down to avoid any more runs.
Robbie Grossman hit a leadoff double to right-center, then tagged up at third when Enrique Hernandez sent one out to Betts in right. Marwin Gonzalez went down by way of the much-needed K, and Altuve grounded out to shortstop to keep Grossman where he was.
Mid 5th, Astros 2-1: The Red Sox had the bases loaded but left them that way.
JBJ knocked one past a diving Altuve for a single to start things off. Holt hit a soft, one-out single to left, and Pedroia followed with a single to shallow right field. But it wasn’t hard enough for Bradley to head home, leaving the bases loaded for Ortiz.
Big Papi jumped on the first pitch he saw and grounded into an inning-ending double play.
End 4th, Astros 2-1: Peavy rebounded with another 1-2-3 inning.
Singleton went down on three pitches. Again.
Carter and Dominguez grounded out to third and first, respectively.
Mid 4th, Astros 2-1: The Red Sox struck back immediately to cut their deficit in half. Big Papi sent the first pitch he saw over the wall in right field for his 20th homer of the season.
Napoli almost followed with another solo shot, but Springer caught it on the warning track in center.
Bogaerts ran out a grounder to third for a two-out single, but Ross flied out to right for the third out.
End 3rd, Astros 2-0: Peavy put a blemish on what was looking like a great outing.
Altuve hit a hard grounder past Bogaerts for a two-out, stand-up double, and Castro worked a nine-pitch at bat that ended in a two-run homer. Betts almost robbed Castro in right field with a leaping grab, but the ball just caught the tip of his glove.
Springer popped out to Pedroia to put an end to any more scoring.
Mid 3rd, 0-0: Brett Oberholtzer decided to have a 1-2-3 inning of his own.
Mookie Betts went down on a called strike, Holt grounded out to second and Pedroia flied out to right field.
End 2nd, 0-0: Peavy is really trying to show the Red Sox he deserves to keep his spot in their rotation.
Jon Singleton went down looking on three pitches, and Peavy needed just four pitches to get Chris Carter to strike out swinging.
Matt Dominguez hit a grounder just fair down the first base line for a single, but Robbie Grossman hit one to Napoli, and Peavy headed to first to end another nice inning.
Mid 2nd, 0-0: The Red Sox tried to make some noise, but they went out without a run.
Xander Bogaerts hit a blooper to left field with one out, but he got ambitious and headed for second base, where he was very out.
David Ross sneaked a two-out single into left-center field, but Jackie Bradley Jr. popped out to center to end the half-inning.
End 1st, 0-0: Jake Peavy had a nice 1-2-3 inning to start things off.
Jose Altuve popped out to shortstop, and Peavy finished off Jason Castro and George Springer with back-to-back swinging strikeouts.
Mid 1st, 0-0: The Red Sox left a runner in scoring position, but what else is new?
Brock Holt hit a soft grounder that ricocheted off pitcher Brett Oberholtzer, giving him enough time to make it to first. Holt advanced to second with one out on a hard groundout from David Ortiz, but Mike Napoli hit one back to Oberholtzer for out No. 3.
4:10 p.m.: Brett Olberholtzer delivers a first-pitch ball to Brock Holt, and the Red Sox are underway at Minute Maid Park.
3:54 p.m.: Jake Peavy desperately needs a win, and so do the Boston Red Sox.
Peavy has 10 no-decisions on the season — the most in Major League Baseball — and only one win. He’ll be looking to turn things around and give the Red Sox their fourth consecutive win against the Houston Astros on Saturday.
But it won’t necessarily be easy for Peavy. His name has come up in trade rumors, and it was even suspected that would be traded before this start. He’ll surely be pitching with that weight on his shoulders.
Here are the complete lineups for Saturday’s game.
Boston Red Sox (42-51)
Brock Holt, SS
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
David Ortiz, DH
Mike Napoli, 1B
Jonny Gomes, LF
Xander Bogaerts, 3B
David Ross, C
Jackie Bradley Jr., CF
Mookie Betts, RF
Jake Peavy, RHP (1-7, 4.64)
Houston Astros (39-55)
Jose Altuve, 2B
Jason Castro, C
George Springer, CF
Jon Singleton, 1B
Chris Carter, DH
Matt Dominguez, 3B
Robbie Grossman, RF
Enrique Hernandez, LF
Marwin Gonzalez, SS
Brett Olberholtzer, LHP (2-7, 4.66 ERA)
