David Price wasn’t great Sunday night in the Boston Red Sox’s 7-5 win over the Houston Astros in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series. But he also wasn’t terrible, which most Red Sox fans would agree is a step in the right direction given the left-hander’s past playoff failures.
Price allowed four earned runs on five hits and four walks over 4 2/3 innings. He struck out four and exited to a chorus of cheers with the Red Sox clinging to a 5-4 lead in the fifth inning at Fenway Park.
The crowd’s support of Price throughout the night went over well with former Red Sox ace Pedro Martinez, who took to Twitter after the game to express how proud he was of Boston’s “loyal” fan base:
I was so happy to see Boston fans honoring the effort that Price made, and standing up to support him every time the situation got tense. That’s what I’m expecting from the most loyal fan base in baseball #yeah #redsox #mostloyalfans
— Pedro Martinez (@45PedroMartinez) October 15, 2018
Martinez’s social media praise of Red Sox Nation came just hours after he encouraged those attending Game 2 to back Price, whose past postseason struggles included an awful outing against the New York Yankees in Game 2 of the AL Division Series:
David Price didn’t get to @RedSox by coincidence. He got the contract he got because he is a warrior. He deserves support tonight from all the Boston fan base
— Pedro Martinez (@45PedroMartinez) October 14, 2018
Price hardly carried the Red Sox to victory Sunday night, but he did just enough as Boston’s offense stepped up to even the ALCS at one game apiece. The pitcher described the outing as “baby steps” toward overcoming his postseason woes, and that progress is worth cheering about considering how much trouble the Red Sox would have been in had he fell flat on his face in Game 2.
