The Houston Astros scored seven runs with two outs in the ninth inning to earn a 9-2 comeback victory over the Boston Red Sox in Tuesday’s Game 4 of the American League Championship Series at Fenway Park.
The Astros tied the best-of-seven series 2-2 and regained home-field advantage as the series officially will return to Houston for Game 6.
Check out the full box score here.
ONE BIG TAKEAWAY
Two of Boston’s most reliable pitchers this season — Garrett Whitlock and Nathan Eovaldi — ultimately were responsible for the game-tying and game-winning runs during the eighth and ninth innings, respectively. Whitlock (one run on three hits in two innings) came in for the seventh and eighth and gave up a game-tying solo home run to Astros superstar José Altuve. Eovaldi (four runs on two hits, two walks in 2/3 inning) then came on for the ninth, a win-now move by manager Alex Cora, and allowed a lead-off double to Houston’s Carlos Correa. Correa would come around to score on a two-out single by Jason Castro.
Eovaldi was pulled after loading the bases and MartÃn Pérez, who came on for the final out, allowed Houston to blow it open. Pérez, after allowing all three of the runners he inherited from Eovaldi to score, ended up allowing three more earned runs on four hits in merely 1/3 inning. Houston’s seven runs came on six hits with three walks (two intentional).
Additionally, the Red Sox offense was 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position with 11 runners left on base.
STARS OF THE GAME
— Nick Pivetta gave the Red Sox five strong innings before he was pulled after 65 pitches. Pivetta allowed just one run on two hits with two walks while recording three strikeouts. His biggest blemish was a first-inning home run allowed to Astros third baseman Alex Bregman. Pivetta buckled down in the second as the Astros stranded runners on second and third. He then retired the side in the third and fifth innings while working around a lead-off walk in the fourth. Pivetta threw 36 of his 65 pitches for strikes.
— Bogaerts provided the Red Sox their biggest swing with a two-run home run in the first that erased a one-run deficit and gave the hosts a 2-1 lead. Bogaerts’ home run, which was Boston’s franchise-record setting 21st of the postseason, measured 413 feet to left field and scored Rafael Devers, who kept the first frame alive with a two-out walk. Bogaerts also hit a double 408 feet off the center-field wall in the fifth, but Boston wasn’t able to capitalize.
— Houston’s Michael Brantley essentially put the game on ice with a three-run double in the bottom of the ninth inning. Brantley cleared the bases immediately after Castro’s RBI single, which proved to be the game-winning hit. Brantley finished the game 2-for-5 with three RBIs and one run scored.
WAGER WATCH
If you were confident in Pivetta going into Game 4, you could have got his total outs proposition bet at Over 12.5, according to DraftKings Sportsbook. A $110 bet would have made you $100 richer for a total payout of $210. Greinke, on the other hand, came up well short of his over/under of 11.5 as he recorded just four outs.
ON DECK AT NESN
Immediately following the conclusion of Game 4, be sure to tune into postgame coverage on NESN. The Red Sox and Astros will return to Fenway Park for Game 5 on Wednesday with first pitch scheduled for 5:08 p.m. ET. NESN will air pregame coverage before Game 5 starting at 4 p.m.
