The Red Sox' fate was determined early Saturday night. Starter Hector Velazquez fell behind after just three batters inn the top of the first and was chased from the game after just six hitters, resulting in a five-run head start for the Houston Astros, who went on to beat the Sox, 7-3.
It was the 10th in a row for the Astros and the third loss in the last four games for the Red Sox.
After the fateful first, four Red Sox relievers combined to limit the Astros to just two more runs, but the damage was already done. Meanwhile, the Sox were meek offensively, managing just five hits all night.
Mitch Moreland doubled home a run in the third and Christian Vazquez contributed a solo homer in the fourth. The only other run for the Sox came as the result of a bases-loaded passed ball by Astros catcher Max Stassi.
WHO: Red Sox vs. Houston Astros
WHEN: 7:15 p.m.
WHERE: Fenway Park
SERIES TO DATE: Astros 1-0
STARTING PITCHERS: RHP Hector Velazquez (1-2, 3.95) vs. Corbin Martin (1-0, 3.38)
TV RADIO: Fox; WEEI 93.7 FM
IN-GAME OBSERVATIONS:
10:08 As that inning ends with a double play, it marks the first time in his last seven appearances that Thornburg hasn't allowed a run.
9:55 Sox have run through three pitchers already and turn to Tyler Thornburg to start the seventh. Fifth pitch is hammered off the Wall for a long single for Tyler White.
9:28 That's about the toughest pitch imaginable, as Xander Bogaerts is caught looking at a 99 mph four-seamer on the outer edge of the plate. Not much you can do there.
9:24 Second steal in as many nights for Betts, who is starting to ramp up his running game.
8:53 Vazquez slices on just past the RF foul pole for his sixth homer of the year, a career high for him.
8:31 Sox use a walk to Mookie Betts and a two-out Wall double by Mitch Moreland to add a run.
8:05 Red Sox had an out at third as Bregman was caught in a rundown, but Xander Bogaerts dropped the ball, then threw too softly to third as Bregman advanced.
7:55 Houston rookie starter Corbin Martin can't stand prosperity. Handed a 5-0 lead before he takes the mound, he's issued three straight two-out walks to load the bases.
7:38 Brewer's first pitch is clubbed for a double into the RF corner by Tyler White, scoring two more, and the rout is on.
7:34 Red Sox had an out at the plate on a strong throw home by Jackie Bradley Jr., but Vazquez dropped the ball, allowing Michael Brantley to score. That's it for Velazquez, who is replaced by Brewer.
7:24 Rough start for Hector Velazquez, who allows a triple, a walk and a double to the first three hitters, prompting action (Colten Brewer) in the bullpen.
LINEUPS
RED SOX
Benintendi LF
Betts RF
Martinez DH
Moreland 1B
Bogaerts SS
Devers 3B
Chavis 2B
Vazquez C
Bradley CF
ASTROS
Springer RF
Bregman 3B
Brantley LF
Correa SS
Reddick DH
Gurriel 2B
White 1B
Stassi C
Marisnick CF
WHAT'S UP: The Red Sox are 6-2 in their last eight and 12-4 in their last 16 games...Since their 2-8 start, the Sox own a .618 winning percentage, sixth-best in the baseball....Since April 14, Red Sox starters have a 3.22 ERA, second-lowest in the American League behind only Tampa Bay (3.12)….Nine of the last 18 games played between the Red Sox and Astros have been decided by a single run with another three games -- including Friday night -- determined by two runs...Nine of the top 25 on-base percentages belongs to members of the Red Sox and Astros....The Astros lead the AL with OBP with a .352 percentage, followed by the Red Sox at .340....In his last 15 games, Christian Vazquez is hitting .447 with a 1.105 OPS (21-for-47, four doubles, one homer)….He's currently hitting .311 with an OBP of .362 and a .519 slugging percentage while matching his career high in five homers...Among catchers with at least 100 plate appearances, Vazquez is third in average and sixth in OPS...He's also thrown out six of the last eight baserunners attempting to steal against him....Xander Bogaerts has an eight-game hitting streak and is batting .355 in that span with nine runs scored and an OPS of 1.036. He hasn't struck out in his last four games, covering 19 plate appearances....J.D. Martinez has homered in three of his last four games and has five in his last eight games after hitting just four in his first 34 games...Rafael Devers, who's been the most consistent and most dangerous Red Sox hitters of the last few weeks, has cooled off of late, hitless in his last 11 at-bats...Mitch Moreland is 0-for-8....The Sox are 4-2 in Hector Velazquez's six starts this season, including 3-0 in the last three...Velazquez has limited lefty hitters to a .167 (7-for-42) batting average....Michael Brantley is 1-for-2 in his career against Velazquez as Yuli Gurriel...No Red Sox hitters has faced Houston starter Corbin Martin.
PRE-GAME NOTES:
- Dustin Pedroia (knee) was set to DH and Brock Holt (shoulder) play second base as both players continued their injury rehab assignments at Pawtucket. The same plan will be in place on Sunday. Holt with then move over to shortstop early in the week with Pedroia getting time at second.
- Brian Johnson, who pitched 1.2 innings Friday for Pawtucket and allowed two earned runs on three hits with a walk and strikeout over 32 pitches, was scheduled to throw a bullpen Saturday afternoon.
- Tzu-Wei Lin (knee) is making progress in the weight room and could be cleared to return to baseball activities when the Sox return home from their upcoming road trip.
- Marco Hernandez, who has missed most of the last two season with a recurring shoulder injury, was in Pawtucket and after completing a rehab assignmenty in the lower minors, is soon to be activated.