Well, the good news is the Red Sox couldn’t play much worse and they were within a run of the Astros into the ninth inning of Game 1 of the American League Championship Series.
The bad news is the Astros grabbed home-field advantage from the Red Sox with a 7-2 victory, and now David Price and his 0-9 record in 10 career postseason starts are the only things standing between Boston and 0-2 series hole when the series shifts to Houston for three games.
Gulp.
About Game 1 ….
- Red Sox pitchers walked a team postseason-record 10 batters and hit three more.
- Alex Cora was ejected for arguing balls and strikes.
- The top four hitters in the lineup were 1 for 14 with eight runners left on base, until Xander Bogaerts singled in the ninth down 7-2.
- Eduardo Nunez had an error on a double-play ball that eventually led to the Astros’ third run, which broke a 2-2 tie with an unearned run in the sixth.
- Ace Chris Sale looked more like the version who finished the regular season as he lasted just four innings while allowing two runs on four walks and he hit a batter.
- Brandon Workman came out of the pen in the ninth — not Craig Kimbrel to keep the score 3-2 — and promptly gave up a lead-off homer and a three-run shot later in the inning.
GAME COVERAGE FROM BEDARD
Sean McAdam will be popping into the comments, so get your questions in.
Live box
Bottom of the ninth
Top of the ninth
Brandon Workman in.
RUN: Astros 4, Red Sox 2.
RUNS: Astros 7, Red Sox 2
Bottom of the eighth
McCullers in.
Top of the eighth
Brasier coming in.
Botton of seventh
Ryan Pressley takes over for Verlander.
Top of the seventh
Mound visit. Brasier warming.
Bottom of the sixth
Top of the sixth
Cora ejected by the home plate umpire James Hoye between innings.
Matt Barnes warming.
RUN: Astros 3, Red Sox 2.
Barnes enters.
Bottom of the fifth
RUN: Astros 2, Red Sox 1
RUN: Astros 2, Red Sox 2
Top of the fifth
Joe Kelly is in the game.
Bottom of the fourth
Top of the fourth
Bottom of the third
Top of the third
Bottom of the second
Top of the second
RUNS: Astros 2, Red Sox 0
Bottom of the first
Top of the first
WHO
WHEN:
WHERE
WHAT'S UP:
Chris Sale
Jose Altuve
Alex Bregman
.Justin Verlander
Roger Clemens
Tom Glavine
John Smoltz
Andy Pettitte
Eduardo Nunez
Mitch Moreland
Mookie Betts
Andrew Benintendi
STARTING PITCHERS
Chris Sale
Justin Verlander
TV/RADIO
LINEUPS
RED SOX
ASTROS
NEWS AND NOTES:
- Mitch Moreland is still not 100 percent, but he's on the ALCS roster and available to pinch-hit and play defense. "He's a lot better than (he was in) New York,'' said Alex Cora. "He's available to hit. He's not the fastest guy, he can run. He needs (additional) days. And this is the real one - in New York (when Cora said Moreland was available), I just playing the part.'' Cora said he expects Moreland to start in the series.
- Cora went the righthanded-hitting Eduardo Nunez at third base over the lefty-swinging Rafael Devers against RHP Justin Verlander. "He attacks the upper part of the strike zone,'' Cora said of Nunez. "The matchup for Raffy to start the game isn't a good one. But he matches up well with their bullpen, so I told him, 'Be ready.' ''
- Brock Holt got the nod over Ian Kinsler, chiefly because he handles high-velocity stuff better.
- Cora is undecided on his Game 3 starter. "Game 1 and 1 will let us know,'' said Cora, who added that everyone except Game 2 starter David Price is available out of the bullpen tonight.
- Cora, asked about keys to the series, mentioned getting the leadoff hitter out every inning and minimizing two-out hits.