The torture began immediately in the top of the first when George Springer singled and a wild pitch moved him to second. Josh Reddick singled home Springer to put the Astros up for good two batters into the game. Jose Altuve grounded out but Carlos Correa smashed a 739 foot bomb to Rhode Island and the Sox were THUNDEROUSLY booed. Marwin Gonzalez grounded out to short and Alex Bregman struck out to end the inning but it was 3-0 Astros. Fans were absolutely livid and booed the daylights out of the Sox.
Meanwhile the useless Red Sox offense proved how useless they were in the bottom of the first against Brad Peacock. Xander Bogaerts grounded out to second but somehow Dustin Pedroia singled. Andrew Benintendi flied out to right and Mookie Betts whiffed to end the inning.
The wheels fell off for Fister in the top of the second as Carlos Beltran walked and Yuli Guriel singled to center, but somehow Doug got Brian McCann to line out to center. After yelling and screaming and making unessecary exaggerated motions all year, Sox manager John Farrell had no energy left and calmly pulled Fister after recording just 4 outs and giving up 3 runs. Bye bye Fister and it looked like bye bye Red Sox.
Joe Kelly came in and immediately threw a wild pitch that moved runners over, but somehow they didn't score on the Springer ground out. Betts made an amazing catch to rob Reddick of a triple to end the inning. The Sox looked to rally when Mitch Moreland and Hanley Ramirez stroked back to back singles before Rafael Devers walked to load the bases with nobody out. In a complete miracle, Sandy Leon singled to score Moreland to put the Sox on the board. That was it as Jackie Bradley Jr whiffed, Ramirez was forced at home on a pathetic grounder by Bogaerts and Pedroia lined out to left to end the inning. The Sox had the bases loaded and nobody out needing 1 hit to tie the game...and didn't get it. It was 3-1 but that was a huge squander
The Astros were totally offended the Sox had the unmitigated audacity to score a run so Altuve singled to start the top of the third inning. Somehow Correa banged into a double play but Gonzalez singled. Bregman flied out to right to end the inning. In a totally miraculous moment, the Sox rallied in the bottom of the third inning. Andrew Benintendi and Mookie Betts whiffed and Astros fans began laughing at Sox fans that they'd never score again. All of a sudden Moreland doubled and Gonzalez misplayed a Ramirez single, allowing Mitch to score. Just like that Peacock was out of the game as Astros manager AJ Hinch made the monumental mistake of bringing in Fransisco Liriano to pitch to Devers. Rafael put the Sox on top with a 2 run home run into the bullpen for his first post-season home run. Leon singled but JBJ lined out to first to end the inning with the Sox ahead 4-3.
Sox manager John Farrell took no chances and brought in David Price to hold the fort in the top of the fourth inning. Beltran grounded out to second but Guriel singled. McCann lined out to right and Springer struck out to end the inning. Lance McCullers Jr came in to pitch the bottom of the fourth inning and Bogaerts hit a comebacker to the mound to start. Pedroia grounded out to third but Benintendi hit one in the hole at short and Correa threw the ball away, allowing Andrew to reach second. Betts walked but Moreland whiffed to end the inning.
Price ran into trouble in the top of the fifth inning when Reddick and Altuve hit back to back singles, but Reddick was forced at third on a grounder by Correa. Price got a huge strikeout by whiffing Gonzalez and Bregman grounded out to end the inning. Good work Price. Ramirez singled to open the bottom of the fifth but Devers banged into a double play to kill that rally. Leon looked at strike three to end the inning.
Price continued to dazzle in the top of the sixth inning by striking out Beltran to start. Guriel singled but McCann and Springer flied out to right to end the inning. The Sox mustered nothing in the bottom of the sixth as JBJ and Bogaerts struck out before Pedroia grounded out to second to end the inning.
Price had one more inning left in him and he got Reddick to pop up to begin the top of the seventh inning. Altuve walked but Correa lined out to right. Gonzalez struck out to end the inning and the once hated David Price got a standing ovation for tossing 4 shut-out innings.
The Sox iced the game in the bottom of the seventh inning against Chris Devenski as Moreland singled and Ramirez doubled him home. Devers singled home Ramirez and that was it for Devenski. Joe Musgrove came in and Leon flied out to right, but JBJ belted a 3 run bomb to put the game out of reach. Bogaerts lined out to left and Pedroia flied out to left to end the inning but it was 10-3 Sox. Game over.
For some reason Sox manager John Farrell brought in Addison Reed to pitch the top of the eighth inning even though the Sox had a 7 run lead although he did get Bregman and Beltran to fly out to right. Guriel singled but McCann grounded out to first to end the inning. Juan Ceteno took over behind the plate as Luke Gregerson came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth inning. Benintendi flied out to center, Betts looked at strike three and Moreland grounded out to third to end the inning.
Carson Smith came in to close out the game in the top of the ninth inning. Springer singled but Reddick grounded into a double play. Correa looked at strike three to end the game. The Sox had turned the tables on the Astros and ran away with a 10-3 victory to keep the season alive for one more day.
Hero of the Night is David Price. He was summoned to protect a one run lead and he gave the Sox 4 shut-out innings against arguably the most potent offense in baseball.
The Good:
Mitch Moreland was 3 for 5 with 3 runs scored.
Hanley Ramirez was 4 for 4 with 3 rbis and 2 runs scored.
Rafael Devers was 2 for 3 with 2 runs scored, 3 rbis and a 2 run home run.
Sandy Leon was 2 for 4 with an rbi.
Joe Kelly put out the fire with 1 2/3 scoreless innings.
Addison Reed pitched a scoreless 8th inning.
Carson Smith pitched a scoreless 9th inning.
The Bad:
Xander Bogaerts was 0 for 5 with a strikeout.
Doug Fister lasted just 1 1/3 innings while giving up 3 runs, pathetic.
The Ugly:
Dustin Pedroia was just 1 for 5.
Andrew Benintendi was just 1 for 4 but walked and scored.
Mookie Betts was just 1 for 4 but walked and scored.
Jackie Bradley Jr was just 1 for 4 but made the hit count as it was a 3 run homer.
Final Thoughts:
Guess the torturous season continues for one more game at least. The Sox FINALLY showed some signs of life as fans once again had tuned them out and given up on them until they rallied in the third inning. Bogaerts and Pedroia have been all but useless this year but good to see Moreland, Ramirez and Devers string some hits together. The problem is they can't do it consistently. Still, if this was the last win of the season, they made it a memorable one. The Astros' lone weakness compared to the Sox is their bullpen so once the Sox knocked Peacock out, it was only a matter of time before they struck. The Sox most likely have no chance to win Game 4 at home with Rick Porcello on the mound against Charlie Morton, but if they can run up Morton's pitch count they may be able to get him out early. Of course Porcello may serve up a post-season record for home runs to render that point moot. Still, there will be a Game 4 and it is tomorrow at 1 PM at Fenway Park.
