Red Sox Notes: Boston’s Offense Stays Relentless With Two Big Bats

The Boston Red Sox have relied on their offense all throughout the second half of the season. That remained the case on Tuesday as the team outlasted the Houston Astros for a key 6-5 win at Minute Maid Park.

Boston scored at least six runs in a game for the 17th time since the All-Star break, good for the most in MLB. Two of their most important hitters, both for this playoff stretch and for Boston's future, brought that production from the first inning for the Red Sox.

Jarren Duran started the game with a hustle double, tallying a leadoff extra-base hit for the second straight day. That was one of four hits on the night, preluding the swing of the game on his go-ahead solo home run in the eighth inning to put the Red Sox in front for good. He filled up the box score in a game that encapsulates his abilities.

"I'm just having an aggressive approach," Duran told reporters, per NESN's postgame coverage. "Just looking in my area. If the ball's there, I'm going. ... As many times as I can cause a little havoc on the bases for my teammates and get the extra 90 (feet) for them to be able to drive me in or something like that is always a bonus. Just trying to do what I can for the team and get on base."

"He's so dynamic, so good," Alex Cora told reporters, as seen on NESN's postgame coverage. "... He's becoming one of those guys that people will pay to watch. You see it. You better get here early. From the very first pitch on, he's going to do something special. I'm glad that he's our leadoff guy."

Cora continued: "He's the perfect player for this environment. They want the players to play fast, be physical, be athletic. You look at him, he can do all that stuff."

Behind Duran in the order, Triston Casas brought the power he's capable of for the first time since returning from injury with a long two-run home run in the opening frame. In just five games since making his return, the swings from the Red Sox first baseman are productive.

"It doesn't even look like he missed a game, honestly," Duran said. "He really owes it to his routine. Taking swings, he always talks about taking mental swings. I know people laugh at that, but it came into play. ... That guy's an absolute machine."

"I try to have the at-bats that the first baseman for the Boston Red Sox would have," Casas told reporters, per NESN's postgame coverage. "I take pride in that title. I don't take it for granted. I don't take it lightly. ... Getting on base. Hitting for power. Getting hits. That's a part of that job. Those are the requirements for that position. I want to do that for a really long time."

The Red Sox have done nothing but score since the second half began. That ability will drive the remaining playoff chances they have.

"We're really good at what we do offensively," Cora said.

Here are more notes from Tuesday's Red Sox-Astros game:

-- Casas homered for the first time since April 19 after missing nearly 100 games with his rib injury.

-- Nick Pivetta gave five important innings to the Red Sox, though he did tie a franchise record with five straight games allowing multiple homers, as referenced by The Boston Globe's Alex Speier.

-- The Red Sox earned their first win against the Astros in 2024 after starting 0-4 in the season series.

-- Boston improved to 57-4 on the season when leading after eight innings.

-- The Red Sox expanded their American League lead with 172 runs scored since the All-Star break.

-- Boston gained a game on the Kansas City Royals, who fell 9-5 on Tuesday to the Los Angeles Angels, in the American League wild-card race. The Red Sox now trail the Royals by 3 1/2 games.

-- The Red Sox and Astros round out the series on Wednesday afternoon at Minute Maid Park. First pitch is set for 2:10 p.m. ET. You can catch the game, plus an hour of pregame coverage, on NESN.