The Boston Red Sox don’t have to worry about the New York Yankees anymore. Well, for now at least.
Drew Pomeranz came up big for the Red Sox against the Houston Astros on Saturday, giving them six scoreless innings before the Astros got on the board in the seventh. The Red Sox’s 6-3 win over the American League West champs gave Boston the American League East title, relegating the Yankees to the first American League Wild Card spot.
Boston will face the Astros again Thursday in the first game of the American League Division Series.
Here’s how it all went down:
GAME IN A WORD
Statement.
The Red Sox were the first on the board and had a 5-0 lead by the end of the fifth inning. The club needed a win Saturday, and they made themselves heard.
IT WAS OVER WHEN …
Mookie Betts homered in the seventh inning.
The Astros tried to creep up on Boston by scoring two runs in the top half of the frame, but Betts’ leadoff shot seemed to quiet them down.
ON THE BUMP
— Pomeranz gave the Red Sox exactly what they needed Saturday. The left-hander cruised through much of his start, throwing 1-2-3 frames in the first, third and sixth innings. Pomeranz also saw three batters in the second, as the defense helped him out with a double play after Astros shortstop Carlos Correa hit a leadoff single. Pomeranz got into the most trouble in the third inning after giving up a two-out single to left fielder Derek Fisher and walking center fielder George Springer, but third baseman Alex Bregman popped out to end the half-inning.
Pomeranz was pulled after giving up a single to second baseman Jose Altuve to start the seventh, finishing his day with just three hits, two walks and three strikeouts over six innings of work. He ended up with an earned run when Altuve scored with Carson Smith on the mound.
— Smith took over for Pomeranz, and it didn’t go so hot. The right-hander gave up three consecutive singles to Correa, designated hitter Evan Gattis and first baseman Yuli Gurriel before being yanked.
— David Price played the hero in the seventh, starting his turn by getting catcher Brian McCann to ground out. The left-hander struck out right fielder Cameron Maybin for the second out and walked pinch-hitter Tyler White to load the bases, but Price caught Springer looking on three pitches to end the threat.
— Craig Kimbrel gave up a one-out solo home run to McCann and a double to Maybin, but he escaped the inning with his usual three strikeouts.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— Mookie Betts had himself a day, going 2-for-3 with a walk, three runs and an RBI. The right-hander also hit his 24th home run, a solo shot, to lead off the seventh inning and give the Red Sox some insurance.
— Hanley Ramirez put Boston on the board in the fourth inning, finishing the day 1-for-3 with an RBI and a walk.
— Xander Bogaerts went 1-for-4 with a walk and a run.
— Mitch Moreland went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run and added a two-RBI double in the fifth, too.
— Andrew Benintendi and Jackie Bradley Jr. each went 1-for-4. Benintendi hit an RBI single and scored a run in the fifth inning.
— Rafael Devers went 1-for-4 with an RBIÂ double but also struck out three times. Deven Marrero replaced him at third base in the top of the eighth.
— Brock Holt went 2-for-4 with two singles.
— Christian Vazquez went hitless at 0-for-4.
TWEET OF THE DAY
Betts’ home run wasn’t too shabby.
MOOOOOOOOK pic.twitter.com/1GfNYFPWEo
— Sox Lunch (@Soxlunch) September 30, 2017
UP NEXT
The Red Sox finish out their regular season with a 3:05 p.m. ET matchup against the Astros with a chance to split the series. Right-hander Collin McHugh will take the mound for Houston, but we’ll have to wait for an announcement about the Red Sox’s starter. Chris Sale would have gone had Boston not clinched, but he’ll get a day off now instead.
Thumbnail photo via Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports Images
