HOUSTON — The Red Sox have taken a commanding 3-1 lead in their American League Championship Series against the Astros with an 8-6 Game 5 victory in a back-and-forth affair that featured another huge hit — a two-run homer in the sixth inning from Jackie Bradley Jr. — that gave Boston a lead they would not relinquish.
But it took Andrew Benintendi’s diving catch against Alex Bregman with the bases loaded to secure the victory.
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The middle of the Red Sox’ lineup finally joined the party as Benintendi (two runs scored), J.D. Martinez and Xander Bogaerts each had two hits. Martinez drove in the eighth run in eighth inning with first base open, and Bogaerts had an RBI double in the third, and an RBI single in the fifth that tied the game 4-4.
Neither starting pitcher — Rick Porcello for Boston, Charlie Morton for Houston — was effective, setting the stage for a bullpen showdown. That’s where the Red Sox won the game.
The Astros’ first three relievers, Josh James (three ER), Ryan Pressly (one) and Lance McCullers (one), all allowed runs.
Only Joe Kelly (one) and Craig Kimbrel (one) allowed runs for the Red Sox. In between, Eduardo Rodriguez, Ryan Brasier and Matt Barnes combined for two innings of scoreless relief.
Brasier was again the star, going 1.2 scoreless innings.
The game had a major dose of controversy — which will only intensify with the final score — when Jose Altuve appeared to have a game-tying home run in the bottom of the first. But crew chief Joe West immediately ruled fans interfered with the play and called Altuve out.
LIVE GAME COVERAGE
Bottom of the 9th
Kimbrel will, at least, start the inning.
Gurriel fouls out to Kinsler, who is in for Devers. Holt to third.
Reddick walks to bring the tying run to the plate.
Another walk. McCann will pinch-hit. Winning run at the plate.
McCann flies out to right.
Kemp ... full count, two outs ... ball four.
Here comes Bregman. Kimbrel at 34 pitches.
First pitch ... sinking liner to LF ... Benintendi makes an insane diving catch to win it.
Top of the 9th
Tony Sipp entering the game.
Devers strikes out.
Pearce walks.
Holt singles.
McHugh into the game.
Leon lines out to center.
Bradly hit by a pitch.
Reddick may have saved the game — and the series if the Astros can come back — with a diving catch of a Betts sinking liner with the bases loaded.
Bottom of the 8th
Kimbrel in for six outs. Hang on.
Kemp singles down the RF line but tries to go to second and gets gunned out by Betts. Dumb.
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Bregman hit by a pitch.
Springer doubles down RF line. Sure would be nice to have Kemp on base if you're the Astros, huh?
David Price is starting to get loose.
RBI groundout by Altuve. RUN: Red Sox 8, Astros 6.
Gonzalez strikes out.
Top of the 8th
Bradley lines out to center.
Kimbrel warming up. May try to get six outs out of him.
Betts singles to left.
Benintendi lines to left but Betts advances to second on wild pitch.
Martinez singles to center. RUN: Red Sox 8, Astros 5.
Bogaerts grounds out to short.
Bottom of the seventh
Gonzalez drops in a lead-off single after a lengthy battle.
After almost hitting Gurriel twice, Brasier gets him to fly to right.
Reddick hits a foul ball and Pearce does a scary flip trying to catch it. Wow. He says he's OK.
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Reddick flies out.
Correa doubles down the RF line but Gonzalez doesn't score from first with two outs. Strange.
Matt Barnes in with second and third and pinch-hitter White coming up.
Barnes does the job with two sweet curveballs to strike out White looking.
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Top of the seventh
Ryan Pressly in to pitch.
Benintendi flies out to center.
Martinez finally hits one of the screws for a single.
Walk for Bogaerts ... first and second with one out.
Devers hits a ground ball to short but Correa fails to touch second. Devers out. Second and third two outs.
Lance McCullers in to face Brock Holt with the bases loaded.
Holt walks on five pitches. RUN: Red Sox 7, Astros 5.
Mitch Moreland pinch-hits for Vazquez.
Moreland grounds out. Stake not driven into Astros.
Bottom of the sixth
Eduardo Rodriguez in for the Sox.
Walks Kemp.
Ryan Brasier in.
Bregman flies out to center.
Springer grounds into a fielder's choice.
Altuve hits a BB right at Devers to end the inning.
Top of the sixth
Pearce whiffs against James.
Holt grounds out to first.
Vazquez doubles off Springer's leaping attempt in deep RCF. Vazquez watched his ball a while too.
Bradley hits another no-doubter to RF. RUNS: Red Sox 6, Astros 5.
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Betts with a loud final out in front of LF fence. That should do it for James.
Bottom of the fifth
After a lengthy battle, Gonzalez grounds out to first.
Gurriel singles up the middle.
Reddick strikes out.
Kelly throws a 53-footer, which Vazquez blocks well, but Gurriel still advances with two outs.
Correa singles just out of Bogaert's reach, scoring Gurriel. RUN: Astros 5, Red Sox 4.
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Maldonado grounds out to end it.
Top of the fifth
Betts strikes out.
Benintendi hits another seed, this one to LCF for a double.
Martinez will be out after a challenge on a ridiculous play by Correa.
Bogaerts hits a hard groundball up the middle, scores Benintendi. RUN: Astros 4, Red Sox 4.
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Bottom of the fourth
Maldonado grounds out.
Kemp homers down the RF line on a fat slider by Porcello. Curious decision to let Porcello start this inning. Red Sox trail for first time. RUN: Astros 4, Red Sox 3.
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Walk to Springer, who advances to second on a wayward pickoff by Porcello.
Porcello stays in to face Altuve, who has had two great swings against him already.
Altuve pops out. Porcello gets out of it. But Sox now trail
Top of the fourth
Holt out to first, unassisted.
Vazquez whiffs. This James guy is nasty with 100 mph cheese, tough slider.
Bradley nearly strikes out at 0-2 but works a walk. Erased on a caught stealing by Maldonado.
Bottom of third
Springer hits a bomb to RF. No interference this time. RUN: Red Sox 3, Astros 2.
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Altuve doubles off the wall in LF. Porcello is scuffling.
Gonzalez flies out to right.
Gurriel pops out to the catcher.
Porcello nearly gets out of it again, but Reddick muscles a single to center. New Game. RUN: Red Sox 3, Astros 3.
Correa whiffs on a hanging curveball. That should do it for Porcello, who hasn't been sharp.
Top of the third
Benintendi doubles off the very top of the wall. Maybe could have maybe been a triple if he ran hard out of the box. Watched the ball.
Martinez strikes out.
Benintendi advances to third on a wild pitch, but that's another terrible play by Maldonado.
Bogaerts doubles down LF line. RUN: Red Sox 3, Astros 1.
Josh James in to pitch.
Devers strikes out.
Pearce grounds out.
Bottom of the second
Reddick doubles down the LF line and looks awkward going around first.
Correa sharply singles to LF, scoring Reddick. RUN: Red Sox 2, Astros 1.
Maldonado, who has blown chunks at catcher and the plate in this series, fouls out to the catcher on a sac bunt. Awful.
Kemp looks terrible striking out.
Bregman grounds out into the shift. Huge for Porcello to get out of that with no further damage.
Top of the second
Holt grounds out to second.
Vazquez pops out to the pitcher. Yes, the pitcher.
Bradley walks.
Betts flies out to centers as JBJ busts his ass around the bases. Love that.
Bottom of the first
So much for Bregman batting leadoff ... routine grounder to second.
Springer hits a seed to RCF but Bradley's speed holds him to a single.
Altuve hits a bomb to RF ... Betts goes up for it, but he can't come with it. Ball comes back into play ... Joe West calls fan interference and Altuve out ... Replays shows Betts had it measured and a fan closed his mitt. I think this is a good call by West, actually.
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Altuve is indeed out after the umpires looked at the replay. Springer has to go all the way back to first.
Gonzalez hit by pitch.
Gurriel flies out to RF and the fans here are not happy.
Top of the first
Betts is hit by the second pitch of the game.
Outstanding play by Gonzalez to retire Benintendi in the first-base hole. Betts to second.
Martinez walks on eighth pitch.
Bogaerts up ... Maldonado can't handle another pitch and both runners move into scoring position. Been a huge problem for Astros in this series.
Bogaerts chases one in the dirt and strikes out. Boston needs to come through here. Hot starts have been a key for them.
Big-time mistake by Morton, hanging an 0-2 curveball right over the middle of the plate and Devers singles to right center. RUNS: Red Sox 2, Astros 0.
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Pearce grounds out, but Sox did what they wanted to do.
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Who do you like tonight?
[democracy id="21"]
- Chris Sale, who spent Sunday night hospitalized at Mass. General with a stomach ailment, felt too weak to throw a between-start bullpen Wednesday and won't start Game 5 as originally planned. Instead, Sale will throw a bullpen Thursday and be available for Game 6 Saturday back at Fenway - if one is necessary. "He's actually lost weight,'' said Alex Cora. "He said he needed an extra day, well, obviously, two. He'll pitch Game 6.'' Cora said Sale still wasn't eating solid food on Wednesday. "Compared to yesterday, he's feeling better and better,'' said Cora. "But I'm not going to throw him out there when he's weak and he can't compete at the level we want.''
- Cora is unsure about a Game 5 starter, noting that it will depend on what happens tonight. "Let's take care of Game 4 and we'll map it out,'' he said. "We've got a lot of options. A lot. Let's see how it goes tonight. If we have a chance to win tonight and we have to use David (Price), we'll use him. We're all in tonight.''
- Among the possibilities for Game 5: Price, Eduardo Rodriguez and Joe Kelly. Rodriguez hasn't been stretched out much in the postseason, but Cora believes, if necessary, he could give the Red Sox nine or 10 outs. He was impressed by Rodriguez's stuff in the ninth inning of Game 3. "Velocity was up,'' said Cora. Cora added that Price doesn't do much between starts at this time of year, and could be an option Thursday, even on three days' rest. "It's October,'' said Cora, "and there's something about this month and adrenaline taking over.
- Eduardo Nunez (ankle) wasn't in the starting lineup, but is available, according to Cora. "He wasn't able to push off,'' said Cora. "It seems like he's always in-between now. When he's not 100 percent, there's a lot of wondering and thinking and not too much confidence. He's not starting today. If they bring (lefty Tony Sipp), he'll be there.''
- Mitch Moreland remained out, but could be in the lineup Thursday night. Cora liked the prospect of having a lefty bat on the bench. "(Steve) Pearce has been swinging the bat well, (against) lefties or righties),'' said Cora. "It's not the home run (that Pearce hit in Game 3) - it's the quality of the at-bats. And Pearce is playing good defense, too.''