Verlander shut down the Sox in the top of the first as Mr. Mookie Betts started the game by popping up to third. Andrew Benintendi flied out to right on the first pitch before JD Martinez drew a walk. Xander Bogaerts grounded into a force to end the inning. Price began the bottom of the first by getting Alex Bregman to fly out to the left field wall. George Springer whiffed but Jose Altuve singled to center. Carlos Correa took strike three to end the inning.
The Sox threatened in the top of the second inning although Mitch Moreland flied out to left to begin. Bregman threw wide of first on a routine grounder by Ian Kinsler for an error but Rafael Devers lined out to left. Christian Vazquez singled to right and Jackie Bradley Jr walked to load the bases. Mr. Mookie whiffed on a high fastball to end the inning, what a waste. Somehow Price kept his composure after Yuli Gurriel singled to center to start the bottom of the second. Marwin Gonzalez flied out to left, Tony Kemp flied out to right and Martin Maldonado looked at strike three to end the inning.
The Sox struck first in the top of the third although Benintendi was frozen for strike three. Martinez then crush an inside fastball into the left field stands for a solo home run to put the Sox on top. Bogaerts flied out to left but Moreland singled to right. Kinsler grounded out to third to end the inning with the Sox up 1-0.
Somehow Price cruised in the bottom of the third as Jake Marisnick flied out to right to begin. Bregman was rung up for strike three and Springer grounded out to short to end the inning.
Verlander cruised in the top of the fourth inning as Devers looked at strike three to start. Vazquez whiffed before JBJ grounded out to first to end the inning. Price came back for the bottom of the fourth and blew away Altuve to start. Price got Correa swinging with a changeup but Gurriel put on an amazing at-bat coming back from down 0-2 to double into the left field corner. Price rebounded to punch out Gonzalez to end the inning.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the fifth as Mr. Mookie grounded out to third to begin before Benintendi popped up to third. Martinez singled but Bogaerts lined out to right to end the inning. Price kept up his mastery in the bottom of the fifth as Kemp whiffed to begin. Maldonado flied out to center before Marisnick grounded back to the mound to end the inning.
The Sox iced the game in the top of the sixth inning as Moreland doubled off the glove of Kemp to start. Kinsler singled Mitch to third before Devers launched a 3 run bomb into the box seats in center to put the Sox up big. Vazquez flied out to left JBJ grounded out to first and Mr. Mookie flied out to right to end the inning with the Sox up 4-0.
Price came back for one more inning in the bottom of the sixth and Mr. Mookie made another great jumping catch over the right field wall, this time to rob Bregman of a home run. Springer grounded out to third and Altuve whiffed to end the inning. For all his failures, Price saved his best for the biggest game of his career. He shut out the Astros for 6 innings without walking anyone while striking out 9. 217 million dollar redemption.
The Astros bullpen stepped up to keep the Sox off the board the rest of the way as Roberto Osuna came in to pitch the top of the seventh as the Sox beat the ball in the dirt. Benintendi grounded out to third, Martinez grounded out to short and Bogaerts grounded out to third to end the inning. Matt Barnes came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Correa grounded out to third to start. Gurriel also grounded out to third but Gonzalez smashed a 3,000 foot bomb to wake up the crowd. Kemp walked and that was it for Barnes. Tyler White came in to hit for Maldonado but Sox manager Alex Cora countered by turning to his unlikely ace Nathan Eovaldi to get the final out. Josh Reddick pinch hit for White and gave one a ride to right but Betts ran it down to end the inning with the Sox up 4-1.
Brian McCann took over behind the plate for the top of the eighth and the Sox did nothing. Moreland whiffed but Kinsler doubled. A wild pitch moved Kinsler to third but Devers whiffed. Brock "The Hitman" Holt pinch hit for Vazquez but grounded out to first to end the inning. Eovaldi returned for the bottom of the eighth with Sandy Leon behind the plate and McCann grounded out to short to begin. Bregman whiffed but Springer singled to center. JBJ made a running catch on Altuve to end the inning with the Sox 3 outs away from the World Series.
The Sox went quietly in the top of the ninth as JBJ lined out to first, Mr. Mookie flied out to left and Benintendi whiffed to end the inning. Defying all logic, Sox manager Alex Cora brought in the exhausted Craig "The Buzzard" Kimbrel for the save in the bottom of the ninth. Kimbrel responded by blowing away Correa on a 99 mph fastball. Gurriel walked on four pitches not even close but Kimbrel froze Gonzalez for strike three. Kemp jacked one to the centerfield wall but Benintendi MADE THE CATCH! THE RED SOX WIN THE PENNANT! The ALCS was over and the Sox were headed to the World Series with their 4-1 win.
We have Co-Heroes of the Night. The first one is Rafael Devers. His 3 run home run proved to be the difference in the game.
The other Hero is David Price. He's a choker no more as he shut out the Astros for 6 innings while striking out 9.
The Good:
JD Martinez was 2 for 3 with a walk including a solo home run.
Mitch Moreland was 2 for 4 with a run scored.
Ian Kinsler was 2 for 4 with a run scored.
Christian Vazquez was 1 for 3.
Nathan Eovaldi tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
Craig Kimbrel earned the save with a scoreless 9th inning.
The Bad:
Mookie Betts was 0 for 5 with a strikeout.
Andrew Benintendi was 0 for 5 with 2 strikeouts.
Xander Bogaerts was 0 for 4.
Brock Holt was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter.
Matt Barnes allowed a run in 2/3 of an inning.
The Ugly:
Jackie Bradley Jr was 0 for 3 but drew a walk.
Honorable Mention:
Sandy Leon caught the final two innings.
Final Thoughts:
Enjoy it Boston, the Red Sox are American League Champions. Nobody can say they didn't earn it either. The New York Yankees won 100 games, set a major league record for home runs and had the best bullpen in the game....and the Sox wiped them out in four. The Houston Astros were the defending 103 win world champions with arguably the best rotation and all around lineup...the Sox wiped them out in five. 5 of the 7 wins were on the road including 5-0 on the road period. Price finally pitched like the ace he's supposed to be and the offense beat Verlander who is on the same level as Curt Schilling come October. The word was none other than Eric Gagne (07 Sox) noticed Kimbrel was tipping his pitches and talked to him before the game. Sure enough Kimbrel came out throwing bullets tonight and looked more like the closer he was for last year and most of this year. The thing about this series was everyone stepped up at one point or another. Who do they play in the World Series? That's still to be decided. The Los Angeles Dodgers lead the Milwaukee Brewers 3 games to 2 with Game 6 in Milwaukee tomorrow night. No matter who the opponent is, the World Series begins next Tuesday. As for now, hail to the American League champions.
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