All you need to know, in quickie form. about the Red Sox' 6-5 win over the Astros, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:
BOX SCORE
HEADLINES
Moreland's luck changes up: Mitch Moreland, the Red Sox' first baseman, had been scuffling the last few weeks, with his batting average dipping below .250. Some of that was the result of a slump, but of late, Moreland had been the victim of some bad luck as he's been hitting the ball hard, but not getting the result. On Sunday night, Moreland's fortunes turned around -- just in time. He pinch-hit for Steve Pearce in the eighth and singled, though was stranded at third. Then, coming to the plate in the ninth with runners at first and second, Moreland got jammed on a pitch by Astros reliever Hector Rondon, but managed to fist it into left field, scoring pinch-runner Tzu-Wei Lin from second for the walk-off win. "I'll take those every time,'' said a smiling Moreland. "It was the right time to do it. It's always frustrating, not getting the results, because it's kind of what you see. But you just have to keep working. That's what I've tried to do. I've had plenty of ups-and-downs in my career. You just have to continue to fight through it until you find yourself.'' The walk-off RBI was the fifth of Moreland's career and first since Aug. 4, 2017.
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Kimbrel sharp: Closer Craig Kimbrel has been inconsistent in recent weeks, issuing walks and suffering some blown saves. But on Sunday, he looked as formidable as he had all season, topping 100 mph with his fastball at least twice and demonstrating the command that has sometimes been elusive for him this year. Brought into a tie game in the top of the ninth with the top third of the Houston lineup due, Kimbrel blew away George Springer and Jose Altuve -- both of whom were overmatched by his fastball -- then retired the dangerous Alex Bregman on a lineout to center. "He looked good,'' gushed Alex Cora. Interestingly, Cora said had the game remained tied after nine, Kimbrel would have gone back out to start the 10th, too. "He was willing to go back again,'' Cora said. "Today was probably four or five outs (if necessary). We'll start building (him) up and get ready for late September.''
Rest of the bullpen an issue: While Kimbrel was dominant and Steven Wright impressive in two scoreless innings, it's impossible to overlook the fact that the Red Sox squandered a 5-2 lead in the sixth inning. Heath Hembree entered with two on and two out and immediately yielded a two-run double to Ryan White. After he left, lefty Brian Johnson walked Brian McCann, then allowed a run-scoring double to right to Josh Reddick. In a tight spot, then, two Red Sox relievers failed to get an out against the bottom three hitters in the Houston lineup. That cost starter Rick Porcello his 17th win and forced the Sox to stage their game-winning rally in the bottom of the ninth. It also represented the second blown save in the three-game series, with the pen having similarly squandered a lead -- this time in the seventh inning -- for David Price in the opener on Friday night.
SECOND GUESS
The Red Sox saw a 5-2 lead slip away in the sixth when Heath Hembree and Brian Johnson struggled against the Houston lineup. In hindsight, it would have been better for Cora to allow Rick Porcello, with two outs, face White, whom he had struck out twice before. Porcello was at 93 pitches, so he could have handled one more batter in terms of workload.
TWO UP
J.D. Martinez: Martinez drove in the second run with a sacrifice fly, then knocked in three more with a homer into the Monster Seats in the fifth. He became the first Red Sox player to hit 40 since David Ortiz hit a club record 54 in 2006.
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Mookie Betts: Betts had himself two more doubles and worked a walk in his first three at-bats -- and scored runs each time. For the series, he reached base 11 times in three games.
ONE DOWN
Sandy Leon: This is getting to sound like a broken record, but the Red Sox catcher was hitless on the night (0-for-3) and is down to .188 for the season, with just nine hits since the All-Star break.
QUOTE OF NOTE
"I didn't suck today ... I hit the ball in the air.''
-- J.D. Martinez, who hit his 40th homer and just his second in the last 17 games.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
- The Red Sox have not been swept at home since August of 2017.
- The walk-off was the seventh of the season for the Red Sox and fifth since the All-Star break.
- The Sox have won the last 15 games in which they've scored at least five runs.
- Martinez becomes just the second major leaguer to reach the 40-homer milestone this season.
- Xander Bogaerts reached base in all five plate appearances.