Red Sox offense explodes for 7 runs, defeat the Astros as Boston passes the Yankees in standings

The Red Sox are rolling, and shortstop Trevor Story is a big reason why Boston has won six of their last seven.

Story (2-for-3) belted a two-run homer in the third inning, his third blast in the last four games, to help the Sox defeat the Astros 7-3 on Saturday afternoon. Boston improved to 61-51 and propelled themselves into sole possession of second place in the American League East.

“That took forever, that game,” manager Alex Cora said. “There was a lot of traffic, but at the end, we were able to get 27 outs, and we won the series.”

The Astros struck first thanks to a Christian Walker home run to make it 2-0 in the first inning off Walker Buehler. Romy Gonzalez quickly cut the lead by hitting a leadoff shot off Houston's starter Colton Gordon. He launched the first pitch he saw and tagged the front lip of the Green Monster, just above the line for his first career leadoff homer.

“I was kind of upset,” Gonzalez said. “I was telling all the boys I was hitting a home run first pitch today, and when the ball bounced back I’m like, no way, but I’m glad it was a homer.”

Fellow lefty masher Rob Refnsyder tied the game with an RBI single in the third inning, and then Story hit a two-run shot to give the Sox the lead for good. It was Story’s 18th home run of the season, and he also added an RBI double in the seventh inning. Over the last four games, he’s 7-for-14 with four doubles, six runs scored, seven RBI, two walks, and one stolen base. The Red Sox are 16-1 when he homers in a game, and he is now three shy of 200 for his career.

“The crowd was rockin’, just a beautiful day here at Fenway,” said Story. “It’s such a home-field advantage. You can feel the place shakin’, man. It causes a lot of stress for the other team; I know that from playing here as a visitor. It’s amazing, man, and when we get it like this and the boys are playing well and we’re into August, that’s the type of baseball you want to play.”

Abraham Toro also added a two-run homer, a 382-foot shot into the Green Monster seats that gave the Red Sox a 6-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth.

For the second straight outing, Buehler failed to get through five innings, going just 4 1/3 innings, allowing nine hits, three runs, and three walks.

“A lot of hits, a lot of pitches in the middle,” Cora said about his starter. “We got to keep working. This guy’s too important for us, too important for us. And he knows he’s better than this; we know he’s better than this.”

He was helped by two big double plays during his outing and faced 23 batters without recording a strikeout. It was just the second time in 141 starts that Buehler went without a strikeout. The other time was in 2019 against the Diamondbacks. Buehler owns a 5.74 ERA in 19 starts for the Red Sox this season. Boston has won 11 of those games he’s started.

“Not good. Definitely not good,” Buehler said after the game. “I feel like I got in a decent little rhythm there in the middle, but I just couldn’t make the big pitch with two strikes to even get a strikeout, let alone kind of get us through the game the way I needed to.

“But that’s why it’s so fun to be on a team like this that scores early, scores often, and gets you a lead that I can kind of dilly-dally out there for a while and whatever, and a great bullpen can come in and finish it all for us… Yeah, it’s just inconsistent and frustrating, but I like winning (as a team) more than I like winning myself, honestly. I think being a part of a team like this is special, especially that it kind of hasn’t been done like this in a while here. I just would like to contribute.”

Steven Matz made his Red Sox debut and pitched a scoreless sixth inning. He helped preserve a three-run lead and struck out Jose Altuve for his first as a member of the Sox. He walked a batter but only needed 11 pitches to take care of the Astros.

Justin Wilson struck out two batters in relief of Buehler, Matz picked up his eighth hold of the year, and Garrett Whitlock and Jordan Hicks tossed an inning each. Jarren Duran made a great throw in left field to preserve Whitlock's scoreless inning. With two outs in the seventh, Walker tried to score on a Victor Caratini single to left field, which would have made it a two-run game, but Duran’s on-line one-hopper beat him home for the inning-ending outfield assist.

Jorge Alcala pitched poorly in the ninth as the Sox held a four-run lead. He allowed a leadoff walk and a one-out single before Cora saw enough and summoned Aroldis Chapman from the bullpen. He shut the door, earning his 20th save this season.

“That’s why I feel it’s different than last year: the bullpen is in good shape,” Cora said. “Last year around this time, (Chris Martin) was down, Kenley (Jansen) missed a series in Colorado, he never bounced back from that, and (Justin) Slaten was down, too. This year we’re deeper, we have better fastballs than in the past, and the guys are doing an amazing job.”

There were some shenanigans in the seventh inning when Houston reliever Hector Neris took issue with Story trying to signal his pitches from second base, which is legal. Neris shouted at third base coach Kyle Hudson, and then the benches cleared and both teams exchanged pleasantries.

Cora did not appreciate Neris yelling at his third base coach and walked out of the dugout screaming at the reliever.

“You’ve gotta ask Neris," Cora said repeatedly after the game when asked about the incident.

Neris also declined to talk about the on-the-field issue.

“Nothing,” he said when asked what he said to Hudson. “It’s part of the game. Something funny.”

The incident occurred when Neris tried to intentionally balk so that Story could move from second to third base with two outs. Pitchers sometimes balk when runners are on second to prevent the baserunner from stealing their signs.

Neris would not confirm to reporters whether he was intentionally trying to balk.

"Maybe yes, maybe no,“ he said when asked if he thought the Red Sox had his pitches. ”But just wanted to concentrate. In this situation, I don’t think about it. I want to do what I’m feeling right in the moment.

“Just wanted to feel better to concentrate on the guy at home plate. Just wanted to move on and keep on the guy on home plate, not worrying about him.”

Story was more than thrilled to take the free base in the inning.

“I’m not sure,” he said. “You’ll have to ask those guys. But I was walking back to the dugout, and I just saw everyone kind of come out at that point. So you’ll have to ask them.

"If he wanted to balk me over, that’s fine. One step closer to home.”

Boston’s bullpen was set to cruise control once Buehler exited the game.

The Red Sox clinched the series on Saturday but will look to sweep the Astros when Lucas Giolito (7-2, 3.80 ERA) faces lefty Framber Valdez (11-4, 2.62 ERA). It’ll be an early start time for both teams on Sunday, with the first pitch set for 11:35 a.m. as part of Roku’s “Sunday Leadoff” package. 

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