Mitch Moreland's slicing single to left scored J.D. Martinez from second, giving the Red Sox a 6-5 walkoff win over the Houston Astros, helping the Sox a sweep at the hands of the Astros.
Martinez reached on a fielder's choice and took second on a single to center by Xander Bogaerts. That set the stage for Moreland, who had entered the game the previous inning as a pinch-hitter.
Earlier, the Red Sox had squandered a 5-1 lead in the sixth when starter Rick Porcello and three relievers combined to allow four runs.
Martinez had helped stake the Sox to their lead with a three-run homer in the fifth, his 40th home run of the season.
IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS
11:30 That's the best Craig Kimbrel has looked in a while. He got the top of the Houston batting order, and retired the trio in order with two stirkeouts and a lineout to center.
11:22 Red Sox load the bases with one out, but can't push across a run as two pinch-hitters -- Blake Swihart and Christian Vazquez -- strike out and leave them loaded.
10:36 Certainly looks like the Red Sox caught a break there on the replay. Seemed like Leon didn't get the tag down in time, but after a replay that took more than three minutes, the call stood.
10:24 Sandy Leon has nine hits.....since the All-Star break.
10:06 Heath Hembree's success in stranding inherited runners didn't come into play there -- Tyler White slams a double off the left field wall, scoring two and now the Red Sox' lead is down to a run. Brian Johnson on.
9:36 Martinez becomes the fourth player in Red Sox history to hit 40 homers in his first year with the club, and opens up a 5-1 lead for the Red Sox. He had hit just two homers in his previous 22 games and just one his last 17.
9:00 Yet another double by Betts leads to another run. J.D. Martinez sends a fly ball to the warning track in left and scores Betts on a sacrifice fly.
8:25 Xander Bogaerts has become a terrific run producer. He singles home Betts and continues to set career highs in RBI (he now has 93); more than that, he's knocked in 25 runs in his last 27 games.
8:22 Mookie Betts has reached base safely nine times in this series -- four times Friday, four times Saturday and a leadoff double here in the first.
WHO: Red Sox vs. Houston Astros
WHEN: 8:05 p.m.
WHERE: Fenway Park
WHAT'S UP: The Astros have won the first two games this weekend and have already clinched both a series win and the season series win, having gone 4-2 through the first six head-to-head meetings. Rick Porcello starts for the Sox tonight and is coming off a strong start in Atlanta, where he allowed just two hits and a run in five innings. That start, however, represents his only victory in his last four starts. He beat the Astros earlier in the season when he 6.1 innings at Minute Maid Park and allowed just two earned runs on June 3...Mookie Betts has seemingly been on base for the entire series, reaching eight times in his first two games. Betts became the first major leaguer to smack 40 doubles and steal 20 bases in four straight seasons...Brandon Phillips is getting his first start at third base for the Red Sox. He started at second Wednesday in Atlanta, of course, and hit the game-winning homer in the ninth...Andrew Benintendi, who slumped some on the recent road trip, has three multi-hit games in his last four and is hitting .421 over his last games...J.D. Martinez, who's getting the start in right field, is stuck on 39 homers as he attempts to become just the fourth player in franchise history to hit 40 in his first full season with the team. Martinez, in fact, has just two homers in his last 22 games dating back to Aug. 12...The Astros have won seven in a row and are 14-3 in their last 17 games. A win tonight would give them 50 road victories this season. The Astros have seven in a row on the road and are 14-4 away from home since July 31...Starter Dallas Keuchel has been superb in the second half, with a 7-2 mark over his last 12 starts with a 2.44 ERA...Third baseman Alex Bregman is hitting .480 (12-for-25) with five homers, five doubles and 11 RBI in the month of September.
STARTING PITCHERS: RHP Rick Porcello (16-7, 2.40) vs. LHP Dallas Keuchel (11-10, 3.46)
TV/RADIO: ESPN/WEEI 93.7 FM
LINEUPS
RED SOX
Betts CF
Benintendi LF
Martinez RF
Bogaerts SS
Pearce 1B
Kinsler 2B
Phillips 3B
Nunez DH
Leon C
ASTROS
Springer CF
Altuve 2B
Bregman 3B
Gurriel 1B
Correa SS
Gonzalez LF
White DH
McCann C
Reddick RF
NEWS AND NOTES:
- Alex Cora had pondered having Blake Swihart catch Rick Porcello tonight, but in the end decided to stay with Rick Porcello, who has caught the vast majority of his games this season. Leon continues to struggle mightily at the plate. He's got a .190/.249./.300 slash line and is hitting just .106 (9-for-85) since the All-Star break. Cora sees Leon being susceptible to high fastballs and low breaking balls, and focused too much on pulling the ball.