BSJ Game Report, ALCS Gm. 3: Red Sox 12, Astros 3 - Boston continues to batter (4 HRs) Houston pitching

All you need to know, in quickie form, about the Red Sox' Game 3 win over to the Astros, complete with BSJ analysis and insight:

BOX SCORE

HEADLINES

Boston bats keep on banging: For the second-straight game, the Red Sox battered Astros pitching in the first three innings with nine runs and a grand slam (only one this time, by Kyle Schwarber in the second inning) and again cruised from there. By the time the carnage ended, the Red Sox had belted four home runs (J.D. Martinez, Christian Arroyo, Rafael Devers) and had 11 hits.

"Offensively this is the best we've been the whole season, and they're locked in right now," said Alex Cora. "The preparation, it's a lot better right now. The communication is a lot better. Like I said, now it's not about 30 homers or 100 RBIs. Now it's about winning four games, and they're doing everything possible in that batter's box to grind at-bats and to put good at-bats, and they're doing that."

The Red Sox became the second team in MLB history to deliver three grand slams in a single postseason, joining the 1998 Braves. The Red Sox became the first Club in history to accomplish the feat in a single series.

Eduardo Rodriguez goes deep: After the first two games — and José Urquidy's start in Game 3 — this series looked to be a battle of bullpens as a starter had yet to have a quality start. That changed with Eduardo Rodriguez in this one. The lefthander, despite a stumble in a three-run third, delivered on some of his promise by giving the Red Sox six strong innings with seven strikeouts. Rodriguez and the lead allowed Cora to keep Nick Pivetta in line to start Game 4.

"He was outstanding," Cora said. "Establishing the fastball, good change-up, good cutter, good tempo. One 0-2 pitch that we really don't care because one of the things I told him -- I say. 'Hey, man, we've got to throw strikes. Don't walk people. Make them earn it,' and he did. The fact that he went six innings was very important for us. It's three games in a row against a great team, and to be able to rest the bullpen for tomorrow is huge, and he understood that. He made some pitches. We got some double plays and all that."

TURNING POINT 

After the first four Red Sox batters in the game were retired in order, Alex Verdugo came up and fell behind 0-2. He then proceeded to see another nine pitches, including five foul balls, and worked a walk. That at least disrupted Urquidy's rhythm and was then followed by J.D. Martinez's double, a Hunter Renfroe six-pitch walk, and then Schwarber's heroics.

"It looked like Urquidy threw how many pitches (in the first inning? 12? It looked like he was cruising," said Christian Arroyo, who also had a home run. "Eddie came out and looked like he was cruising through the first inning and for a split-second you're thinking, all right, this is probably going to be a pitcher's duel and we're going to have to scratch and claw our way through.

"I think what Dugie did in that at-bat is so big in setting the table and what it does is 11 pitches, I mean, it wears down a pitcher. It takes away an inning from what he is probably going to end up doing. ... For him to come in there on a guy who was kind of cruising and looked like he was handling it pretty well, it just changed the -- it changes the direction on how the game is going."

Said Schwarber: "I think the biggest thing is people get caught up in the big swing or whatever it is, right? People kind of forget about what led up to it, right? The at-bats beforehand are what set up the big moments, and those are things that you can't take for granted. Dugie, unbelievable."

SECOND GUESS

Rodriguez's taunting gesture to Carlos Correa was about the only thing that wasn't great about this night, at least according to Cora.

"We don't act that way," Cora said. "We just show up, we play, and we move on, and he knows. I let him know. We don't have to do that. If we're looking for motivation outside of what we're trying to accomplish, we're in the wrong business. The only motivation we have is to win four games against them and move on to the next round."

Said Rodriguez: "I feel bad for myself because I just do that, you know what I mean, and even I will apologize to Correa if I see him in person because that's not something I normally do, and it was just part of the game. That's it."

THREE UP 

Kiké Hernandez: Mr. October went 2 for 4 to up his postseason average to .615. Over his last six games dating back to Game 2 of the ALDS, he has notched eight runs scored, 17 hits, four doubles, five home runs and nine RBI. Hernández's 16 hits are an MLB postseason record for any six-game span in Major League history. 

Christian Vazquez/J.D. Martinez: Each had two hits with two runs scored and two RBI. Vazquez also called a great game for Rodriguez.

Eduardo Rodriguez: Became the first left-handed pitcher in team history to tally at least seven strikeouts without allowing a walk in a postseason game at Fenway Park.

ZERO DOWN

Even Hansel Robles, Martin Perez and Hirokazu Sawamura combined to throw three innings of hitless and scoreless relief. 

QUOTE OF NOTE

"I guess my hometown is Waltham now. So go Hawks." - Schwarber, who wore a Waltham High t-shirt to the press conference.

STATISTICALLY SPEAKING 

• The Red Sox registered 11 hits in their victory, which marks the sixth consecutive game in which Boston tallied 10-or-more hits. That represents the longest such streak in postseason history.
• Including the regular season, Hernandez became the fifth player in Major League history to collect at least 17 hits, nine extra-base hits and five home runs across a six-game span, joining Charlie Blackmon (2019) and Steve Finley (1999), as well as Hall of Famers Willie Stargell (1966) and Jimmie Foxx (1933).
• Following his homer, Martinez has now logged 30 RBI through his first 27 career Postseason games, the second-most through a player's first 27 playoff games behind only Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig (32).
• Rafael Devers played in his 23rd career Postseason game tonight and tallied his 25th RBI. That's tied for the second-most RBI through a player's first 23 Postseason games, trailing only Gehrig (31).
• Yuli Gurriel of the Astros batted 2-for-3 in the loss tonight. He has now collected 59 career Postseason hits, extending his MLB record among Cuban-born players.

UP NEXT

Game 4 of the ALCS is at 8:08 p.m. and will feature RHP Nick Pivetta (9-8, 4.53 ERA in regular season) vs. RHP Zack Greinke (11-6, 4.16).