For the first four games of this series, you wondered if the Houston Astros, a) really had starting pitchers this season, and b) if there were in some sort of witness protection program in the ALCS considering none had lasted three innings, sported an 18.90 ERA and gave up 10 homers β including a record three grand slams.
Well, that and the series all changed on Wednesday night at Fenway Park as lefthander Framber Valdez, who was last seen lasting only 2.2 innings in Game 1, pitching a three-hit gem that left the Red Sox tipping their cap, and the Astros with much confidence heading back to Houston with a 3-2 lead in the ALCS.
"He was unbelievable," said J.D. Martinez, who struck out, walked and was hit by a pitch. "I mean, going through my at-bats, and I was thinking I don't think I got one pitch that I could have done anything with, and that's credit to him and his execution. They've been pitching really well. ... We got our work cut out for us going back to Houston."
Valdez pitched eight innings and allowed just a home run to Rafael Devers when it was 7-0. His control was stellar with 93 pitches and 62 strikes. The Red Sox didn't lift a ball in play until the sixth inning, and by that time he had 10 groundball outs.
"I think their guy was amazing," said Alex Cora. "He was throwing harder than usual. The ball was moving. We didn't hit the ball hard at all. I think we had two fly balls, if I'm not mistaken, and a home run, right? Credit to him. His sinker was unreal tonight. Unreal. You tip your hat to him and you move forward."
Valdez retired the first 12 batters of the game. That was quite a turnaround for a pitcher who struggled mightily in Game 1.
"I don't know," said Dusty Baker, when asked what had changed. "Seems like he put it behind him, and he had (Martin Maldonado) directing him. Maldi would get on him at the right time, and he was throwing strikes. He had a good tempo going. He threw -- he didn't mess around forcing that breaking ball, like he had the last couple starts, and then getting behind. He was attacking the strike zone, and, I mean, his pitch count was very, very low. He only got in trouble a couple of times, and then like I've always said, that sinker can get you out of trouble with two outs on one pitch, and I think that happened three or four times tonight. I don't know how many turned, but I know we turned at least three, possibly four."
Meanwhile, at the plate, the Astros have exploded for 18 runs and 23 hits the past two games. In Game 5, they were led by Yordan Alvarez, who was only a triple short of the cycle after three at-bats against Chris Sale and had driven in all three runs to that point.
"Well, it started with some clutch hits last night," said Baker. "I think we were helped by a couple of walks and possibly an error. Everybody talks about momentum, but momentum is controlled by the pitcher. If the pitcher is dealing, all the momentum is gone. And if the pitcher has a rough outing, then you continue that momentum. It was in the hands of the pitcher. This was in the hands of Framber, and really in the hands of Alvarez. Then, everybody else contributed and chipped in, and ended up being 9-1."
Thanks to Valdez and an offense that has exploded for 18 runs and 23 hits the past two games, the Astros are confident heading back home with a 3-2 series lead. Since 1985, five of the six teams that won Game 5 after a 2-2 split of the first four games advanced to the World Series. The 2017 Yankees (vs. Houston) were the lone exception.
"I feel good. I don't feel great," said Baker. "I won't feel great until we accomplish our goal. I've been up a couple of times 3-2. I was up 3-2 one time in Chicago and going back to Wrigley with Kerry Wood and Mark Prior pitching (in the 2003 NLCS they lost to the Marlins). I was feeling confident at that time, but you got to get the job done. You can feel confident all you want to, but those guys there taking the last breath and the final life out of anything is -- it's a tough road. They're going to fight you until the end. Yeah, I mean, I feel good. I don't feel great."