Charlie Morton has been mostly unhittable all season but the Sox wasted no time scoring off him in the top of the first inning. Andrew Benintendi led off with a double but Xander Bogaerts grounded out to third. Benintendi moved to third on the ground out by JD Martinez before Mitch Moreland launched a 2 run bomb to center to give the Sox the lead. Eduardo Nunez singled but Jackie Bradley Jr flied out to right to end the inning with the Sox up 2-0.
The Astros wasted no time scoring against Porcello as George Springer crushed a 400,000 foot home run on the third pitch of the bottom of the first. Alex Bregman flied out to center and Jose Altuve was frozen for strike three. Carlos Correa also watched strike three go by to end the inning with the Astros down 2-1.
A pissed off Morton came out with fire in the top of the second inning. Brock "The Hitman" Holt was rung up for strike three, Blake Swihart whiffed and Sandy Leon watched strike three go by to end the inning. Porcello allowed a leadoff double by Yuli Guriel but Evan Gattis flied out to center. JD Davis flied out further to center which allowed Gurriel to move to third, but Max Strassi grounded out to third to end the inning.
More boneheaded baserunning occured in the top of the third inning. Benintendi whiffed but Bogaerts doubled. Martinez lined out to center but Bogaerts broke for third too early and had to back and tag....then foolishly tried to run to third where he was thrown out by a mile to end the inning, nice going.
Tony Kemp hit a routine grounder to Moreland at first to start the bottom of the third but Mitch threw his glove at the ball, screamed and dove on top of the ball and the glove for an error. Springer walked but Porcello bore down to freeze Bregman. Altuve and Correa both whiffed in an impressive display by Slick Rick.
The Sox had a golden chance to extend the lead when Moreland walked and Nunez singled to start the top of the fourth. The rally ended as JBJ whiffed, Holt grounded out to first and Swihart hit a bullet...but right to Altuve at second to end the inning. Benintendi made a nice running stab off a Gurriel liner to open the bottom of the fourth before Gattis popped up to first. Davis grounded out to short to end the inning.
The Sox got one back in the top of the fifth although Leon whiffed to start. Benintendi crushed a no-doubter into the second deck to extend the lead before Bogaerts popped up to first. Martinez lined out to center to end the inning but it was 3-1 Sox.
Porcello plunked Strassi to open the bottom of the fifth inning and moved to second on the sacrifice bunt by Kemp. Springer popped up to second before Bregman lined out to second to end the inning.
The Sox looked to break away in the top of the sixth inning when Moreland singled and Nunez was plunked to start. JBJ whiffed but Holt tripled into the right field corner to increase the lead. Swihart slammed a single to center to score Brock and chase Morton from the game. Morton was mortal in this one as he had allowed 6 runs in just 5 1/3 innings. Tony Sipp was brought in and he got Leon to fly out to left. Swihart then got himself thrown out trying to steal to end the inning but it was 6-1 Sox.
Things looked to go south in the bottom of the sixth when Altuve and Correa stroked back to back singles but Gurriel grounded into a force. Gattis grounded into a double play to end the inning.
Sipp returned briefly to punch out Benintendi to open the top of the seventh before Collin McHugh replaced him. Bogaerts flied out to right and Martinez whiffed to end the inning. The Astros finally broke Porcello in the bottom of the seventh inning. Davis grounded out to short and Strassi hit a routine grounder to third. Only problem Nunez kicked the ball into the bleachers while screaming "Goalllllllll!!!!!" for an error. That opened the floodgates as Kemp walked and Springer was plunked to load the bases. Bregman plated two runs with a single to chase Porcello. The defense let him down in the end but he still managed to toss 6 1/3 innings of 3 run ball.
Matt Barnes came in and whiffed Altuve and Bregman was out on a bang bang force at second by Correa to end the inning with the Sox holding a 6-3 lead.
The Sox got one of the runs back in the top of the eighth although Moreland was thrown out at second trying to stretch a single. that's 3 outs on the bases tonight. Nunez singled but JBJ whiffed again. Nunez swiped second and scored on the Holt single to center. Swihart whiffed to end the inning but it was 7-3 Sox.
Barnes returned for the bottom of the eighth and got Gurriel to ground out to short to start. Gattis whiffed and Davis grounded out to first to end the inning
Astros closer Ken Giles came in to pitch the top of the ninth and Leon greeted him with a single. Giles turned up the head to blow away Benintendi but Bogaerts doubled. Sam Travis pinch hit for Martinez and singled home both runners as the final nail in the coffin. Moreland grounded out to second and Nunez whiffed to end the inning with the Sox ahead 9-3.
Heath Hembree had mop up duty in the bottom of the ninth. Strasi watched strike three go by and Kemp popped up to second, but Springer walked. Bregman walked but Altuve flied out to right to end the game. The Sox had split the series without Mookie Betts and won the game 9-3.
Hero of the Night is Brock Holt. He got two big hits and drove in 3 runs, matching Houston's team total.
The Good:
Andrew Benintendi was 2 for 5 with 2 total runs and a solo home run.
Xander Bogaerts was 2 for 5 with a run scored.
Sam Travis singled and drove in 2 runs as a pinch hitter.
Mitch Moreland was 3 for 4 with a walk, 2 total runs scored and a 2 run homer
Eduardo Nunez was 3 for 4 with a stolen base and 2 runs scored.
Rick Porcello got the win by tossing 6 1/3 innings of 3 run ball (2 earned) while striking out 5.
Matt Barnes retired all 5 men he faced.
Heath Hembree pitched a scoreless ninth inning.
The Bad:
JD Martinez was 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.
The Ugly:
Blake Swihart was just 1 for 4 but drove in a run.
Sandy Leon was just 1 for 4 but scored a run.
Final Thoughts:
If last night's win shows they had balls, tonight's win shows they have killer instinct. They pounded every mistake Morton made and when it looked like the Astros would rally, they slammed the door on both sides of the ball by getting huge outs and driving in more runs. The win was extra special considering Mookie Betts and Dustin Pedroia are out for the time being. It sucks that Betts went down just as Benintendi got hot and it looks like a mistake the Sox released Hanley Ramirez for just 3 games of Pedroia. Still, 2 straight wins on the road against the defending champions is a lot of momentum considering the New York Yankees got rained out AGAIN! The win improved the Sox to 41-19, believe it or not percentage points behind the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East. The Yankees have a doubleheader in Detroit against the Tigers tomorrow while the Sox are off until Tuesday where the Tigers come to Fenway. Steven Wright (1-0, 2.25 ERA) gets the Sox for Boston opposite Artie Lewicki at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park
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