Porcello got the ball in the top of the first inning and George Springer greeted him with a single. Jose Altuve popped up to first but Springer took second on a passed ball. Alex Bregman walked but Yuli Gurriel watched strike three go by. Carlos Correa whiffed to end the inning. The Sox wasted no time scoring against Houston starter Dallas Keuchel in the bottom of the first inning. Mr. Mookie Betts got the party started with a leadoff double before Andrew Benintendi flied out to left. JD Martinez was retired on a swinging bunt in front of the plate but Betts took third. Xander Bogaerts began his great night with a single to score Betts to give the Sox the lead. Steve Pearce grounded out to first to end the inning but the Sox jumped ahead 1-0.
The Astros wasted no time tying it up as 30 seconds into the top of the second Marwin Gonzalez crushed a 500,000 foot home run into the Atlantic Ocean to tie the game. Tyler White looked at strike three and Brian McCann poppe dup to second before Josh Reddick flied out to center to end the inning with the game tied 1-1.
The Sox did nothing in the bottom of the second as Ian Kinsler grounded out to short to start. Brandon Phillips grounded out to first but Eduardo Nunez beat out an infield single. Sandy Leon grounded out to second to end the inning.
Porcello got Springer to ground out to second to begin the top of the third before Altuve grounded out to short. Bregman doubled to right but Gurriel popped up to third to end the inning. The Sox struck back in the bottom of the third as Mr. Mookie doubled to start. Betts moved to third on the Benintendi ground out and scored on the Martinez sac fly to give the Sox the lead. Bogaerts walked but Pearce grounded into a force to end the inning with the Sox ahead 2-1.
Porcello cruised in the top of the fourth as Correa grounded out to short before Gonzalez grounded out to second. White whiffed to end the inning. Kinsler singled to open the bottom of the fourth but Phillips banged into a double play. Nunez singled but Leon grounded into a force to end the inning.
McCann singled to start the top of the fifth but Reddick and Springer whiffed. The alert Leon gunned down McCann trying to steal to end the inning. The Sox looked to have locked up the game in the bottom of the fifth when Mr. Mookie walked and Benintendi singled. Martinez crushed his 40th homer of the season to increase the lead. Bogaerts singled to put Keuchel on the ropes but Pearce singled. Kinsler banged into a double play to end the inning with the Sox ahead 5-1.
Just as soon as the Sox looked to have broken it open, the Astros roared back. Altuve smashed a 3,000 foot blast to start the inning. Bregman grounded out to second but Gurriel singled. Correa singled but Gonzalez lined out to right. All Porcello needed was one more out but he wouldn't get it as Sox manager Alex "Dr. Quick Hook" Cora sprinted out of the dugout to take him out after 5 2/3 innings. One of the reasons the Sox starters haven't gone 7 in a long time is Cora yanking them early again and again.
Heath Hembree came in and poured gas on the fire as White doubled Gurriel and Correa home to cut the lead to one run. That was it as Brian Johnson was brought in to pitch to the lefties only for McCann to walk and Reddick to double home White to tie the game. Hembree and Johnson faced three batters, walking one and giving up two doubles. This bullpen SUCKS!!!!!
Ryan Brasier came in to strike out Springer to end the inning with the game tied 5-5. The Sox failed to respond in the bottom of the sixth as Phillips grounded out to first, Nunez flied out to left and Leon looked at strike three to end the inning.
Steven Wright was brought into pitch and things looked bleak when Altuve hit a swinging bunt to Phillips only for Brandon to throw the ball completely out of Fenway for an error to allow Jose to take second. Bregman flied out to center but Altuve took third on a passed ball. The play of the game came when Gurriel grounded a ball to short. Bogaerts fired home and Leon applied the tag....OUT! BUT WAIT! The Astros challenged the call and the replay showed Altuve was safe but the umpires did not overturn the call. The call remained tied as Astros fans complained.
Joe Smith got the call to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Mr. Mookie grounded out to short to start. Benintendi grounded out to second and Martinez lined out to right to end the inning.
Wright came back for the top of the eighth and Gonzalez flied out to center to begin. White doubled to right and Jake Marisnick pinch ran for him. McCann walked and JD Davis ran for him but Reddick banged into a double play to end the inning. Martin Maldonado took over behind the plate with Collin McHugh now on the mound. Bogaerts singled and Mitch Moreland singled to put the go-ahead run at second, but Kinsler whiffed. Brock "The Hitman" Holt pinch hit for Phillips and walked but Blake Swihart pinch hit for Nunez only for Tony Sipp to come in for McHugh. Swihart whiffed before Christian Vazquez pinch hit for Leon and struck out to end the inning.
Hero of the Night is Mitch Moreland. His flare into left drove in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth.
The Good:
Mookie Betts was 2 for 4 with a walk and 3 runs scored.
Andrew Benintendi was 2 for 5 with a run scored.
Tzu-Wei Lin scored the winning run.
Xander Bogaerts was 4 for 4 with a walk and an rbi.
Brock Holt walked as a pinch hitter.
Eduardo Nunez was 2 for 3.
Ryan Brasier got the final out of the 6th inning.
Steven Wright pitched two scoreless innings.
Craig Kimbrel got the win with a scoreless 9th inning.
The Bad:
Steve Pearce was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
Brandon Phillips was 0 for 3 with an error.
Blake Swihart struck out as a pinch hitter.
Sandy Leon was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
Christian Vazquez struck out as a pinch hitter.
Heath Hembree allowed 2 inherited runners to score and one of his own.
Brian Johnson faced two batters allowing a hit and a walk.
The Ugly:
JD Martinez was just 1 for 4 but drove in 4 total runs, 3 of which off a 3 run home run.
Ian Kinsler was just 1 for 4.
Rick Porcello failed to go 6 innings and left after 5 2/3 innings while being charged with 4 runs. Obviously the bullpen stunk but he needs to pitch better than that.
Final Thoughts:
That was a gutsy win but the Astros still look completely superior to the Red Sox. Starting pitching, lineup, bench, bullpen...the Astros are just better all around. The Sox needed a lucky non-call to win this one but a win is a win. If the Sox have any chance to beat the Astros in October they're going to need Chris Sale, David Price, etc step up and it may not happen. Still, the Sox got to Keuchel so they did show that they can hit good starting pitching. The good news is the Sox have two upcoming cakewalks on the schedule so the time is now to put the New York Yankees away. The Sox have 6 games at home with Toronto and the New York Mets so taking four out of six is imperative. The win improved the Sox to 98-46, 8.5 games ahead of the Yankees, who lost to Seattle, for first place in the AL East. It should be noted the 2004 World Champion Boston Red Sox curse breaking "idiots" won 98 regular season games. The 2018 Red Sox have 98 wins with 18 games left to play. After an off-day Monday the Sox go back to work Tuesday night against the 65 win Toronto Blue Jays. Chris Sale (12-4, 1.97 ERA) is expected to be activated off the Disabled List to make the start opposite Ryan Borucki at 7:10 PM at Fenway Park.
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