FINAL - ALCS Gm. 2: Red Sox 9, Astros 5 - Slams by Martinez, Devers give Boston commanding lead

HOUSTON -- Grand slams by J.D. Martinez and Rafael Devers in the first two innings set up the Red Sox to cruise to a Game 2 victory, sending the ALCS back for three games at Fenway tied 1-1.

Nate Eovaldi did a great job going 5.1 innings and allowing three runs to save the bullpen somewhat.

WHO: Red Sox vs. Houston Astros
WHEN: 4:20 p.m.
WHERE: Minute Maid Park
STARTING PITCHERS: RHP Nathan Eovaldi (1-0, 2.61) vs. RHP Luis Garcia (0-0, 16.88)
TV/RADIO: FOX; WEEI-FM 93.7

LINEUPS:

RED SOX

Schwarber 1B
Hernandez CF
Devers 3B
Bogaerts SS
Verdugo LF
Martinez DH
Renfroe RF
Plawecki C
Arroyo 2B

ASTROS

Altuve 2B
Brantley LF
Bregman 3B
Alvarez DH
Correa SS
Tucker RF
Gurriel 1B
McCormick CF
Maldonado C

WHAT'S UP: The Red Sox lost Game 1 of the ALCS, 5-4...The last three times the Sox lost Game 1 of the ALCS, they went on to win the World Series (2004, ‘13, ‘18). Prior to 2021, the Sox had lost Game 1 of a best-of-7 ALCS 7 times...They went on to lose 3 of those series (1988, ‘90, ‘99) and win 4 of them (1986, 2004, ‘13, ‘18). GAME 2: The Red Sox have lost Games 1 and 2 of a bestof-7 ALCS 4 times...They went on to lose 3 of those series (1988, ‘90, ‘99) and win 1 of them (2004). Three times the Sox have lost Game 1 of a best-of-7 ALCS and come back to win Game 2 (1986, 2013, ‘18)...They went on to win each of those series. ....The Red Sox are making their 12th trip to the ALCS...They are 30-33 all time in the ALCS, including 19-11 in their last 30 games and 8-3 in their last 11. The Sox’ 7 trips to the ALCS since 2003 are tied with the Yankees for the most in that time. In 4 of their last 5 trips to the ALCS, the Sox went on to win the World Series (lost 2008 ALCS to the Rays). ... Since the start of 2004, the Red Sox are 15-3 in potential clinching Postseason games...They have won each of their last 8 potential clinching games: 2013 ALDS-G4, 2013 ALCS-G6, 2013 WS-G6, 2018 ALDSG4, 2018 ALCS-G5, 2018 WS-G5, 2021 WC, 2021 ALDS-G4. Alex Cora is 5-0 in potential Postseason series-clinching games...According to Elias, the only other managers to begin their careers with a streak that long are Terry Francona (6), Tony La Russa (5), and Casey Stengel (5). ....The Red Sox earned walk-off wins in Games 3 and 4 of the ALDS...After Christian Vázquez hit a 2-run HR in the 13th inning of Game 3, Kiké Hernández brought in the winning run with a sacrifice fly in the 9th inning of Game 4. The Sox became the 2nd team in MLB Postseason history to clinch a series with back-to-back walk-off wins, joining the 1991 Twins in the World Series (source: STATS). ...The Red Sox have earned 14 walk-off wins in Postseason history...Since the start of 2004, their 9 walk-off wins in the Postseason rank 1st in the majors; the only other teams with more than 5 walk-off wins in that time are the Astros (7) and Cardinals (6). This is the 3rd time the Sox have earned multiple walkoff wins in a single Postseason (3 in 2004, 2 in ‘08). ...The Red Sox are 15-5 in Postseason games since the start of 2018 (all under Alex Cora), including 12-3 in their last 15 games and 6-2 in their last 8...They are making the 25th Postseason appearance in franchise history. The Sox are 106-88-1 in Postseason play...They are 1-0 in Wild Card Games and 23-15 in 38 series, having gone 8-6 in 14 trips to the ALDS (26-26 in games), 6-5 in the ALCS (30-33), and 9-4 in the World Series (49-29-1). ....The Red Sox came from behind to win Games 2 and 3 of the ALDS...To clinch a spot in the Postseason on 10/3 at WSH, they trailed 5-1 after 5 innings (W, 7-5). During the regular season, the Sox led the majors with 47 come-from-behind wins. The Sox’ largest deficit overcome to win a Postseason game is 7 runs (2008 ALCS-G5, trailed 0-7, won 8-7). ...The Red Sox snapped a 3-game winning streak last night...They are 21-13 (.618) since the start of September, including 15-7 (.682) in their last 22 games, 8-3 (.727) in their last 11, and 7-2 (.778) in their last 9. ....Kiké Hernández is leading MLB this Postseason in hits (14), doubles (4), HR (4), XBH (8), RBI (8), AVG (.500), SLG (1.071), OPS (1.571), and total bases (30)...No other player has more than 15 total bases this Postseason. Hernández is the first player in MLB Postseason history to record 12 hits in a 4-game span. Last night marked the 3rd time Hernández recorded 10+ total bases in a Postseason game, the most in MLB history...He became the 4th player to record 4+ hits in a game multiple times in a single Postseason (also George Brett, Robin Yount, and Albert Pujols)....Hernández went 4-for-5 with 2 HR and a double last night...He is the only leadoff hitter in MLB history with 2+ HR and 4+ hits in a Postseason game. The only other Red Sox with 2+ HR and 4+ hits in a Postseason game are Todd Walker (2003 ALDS-G1) and John Valentin (1999 ALDS-G4). Hernández has tied Hideki Matsui (2004) for the most XBH in a 4-game span in a single Postseason (8)...The Sox’ record for XBH in a Postseason is 9: Mike Lowell (2007), Kevin Youkilis (2007), and David Ortiz (2004 & 2007). .... The Red Sox have reached base to lead off 25 of 57 innings in the Postseason (23-for-55, 2 BB, 6 HR, .418 AVG, .439 OBP)...Last night, they led off 6 innings by reaching base (2 HR, 1 BB, 3 singles). In Game 3 of the ALDS, BOS became the 1st team ever to lead off each of the first 6 innings of a Postseason game with a hit (Schwarber HR, Martinez 1B, Arroyo 1B, Renfroe 1B, Hernández HR, Renfroe 1B) (source: Elias).  .... Last night marked the first time this Postseason the Red Sox were out-hit (11-10)...This was only the 2nd time the Sox out-hit their opponent in each of their first 5 games in a Postseason (also 1915, all 5 games of the World Series). The Sox have recorded 10+ hits in each of their last 4 games, matching their longest streak in a single Postseason (also twice in 2004 and once in 2007). The Sox have hit 13 HR this Postseason, including 11 in their last 4 games...This is their first time hitting 11+ HR in a 4-game span in a single Postseason. 

NOTES:

* Alex Cora said he was not concerned that Tanner Houck has allowed a homer in each of his last three appearances. "I think the only bad pitch was (Firday) -- it was a get-me-over breaking ball,'' said Cora. "(Jose Altuve) was in swing mode and he barreled that pitch. If we expand with that pitch, he swings and misses. But he didn't. Credit to him. The homer by (Wander) Franco the other day, that's a very talented player doing that. And (Ji-Man) Choi, he went the other way with a good pitch. It's not like his stuff is worse than 10 days ago. But the one yesterday, there's no get-me-over breaking pitches.  

* The Game 2 lineup was almost unchanged. Kevin Plawecki, who usually catcher Nathan Eovaldi is catching. Other than, there was some minor re-arranging of the order, with Kiki Hernandez and Kyle Schwarber flipping spots at the top and J.D. Martinez moved down a spot.

* Plawecki threw out just three of 40 would-be base stealers during the regular season, but Cora said the Sox will be prepared if the Astros try to run. "(Nate) is quick and he has a good move, so we feel comfortable,'' said Cora. "It's not the first team that we've faced that runs in certain spots. We'll be OK. If you look at the numbers, (Plawecki) has been throwing the ball well. You've got to give him a chance, too and we haven't been doing that. But with Nate, he's always aware of that and he does a good job with it.''

* Cora on Chris Sale: "He threw the ball better. Obviously, we need more. He knows it. We can't play this game the whole time. I believe we were suited (Firday) for something like that. If he went deep into the game, great; if not, it was going to give us a chance to set up a few things and get some lanes for us to take advantage of it. And we did. Overall, conviction was a lot better. I think the fastball played a lot better. He threw a few changueps, so he'll be ready for the next one.''

* Garrett Richards (hamstring) is coming along "slower than what we thought. He's running on a treadmill.,'' said Cora. "I believe it was the right decision because he's not ready to pitch. The hope is for him to keep progressing and hopefully, he's healthy by the end of the series and if we win four, we'll make a decision for the next round.''

* Cora was made aware, by video, of the fact that ball boy interfering with Hunter Renfroe's double down the left field. Video showed the ball hitting the leg of a stool on which the ball boy was sitting, slowing the ball down. Had that not been there, the ball likely would have continued down the left field corner and could have enabled J.D. Martinez to score from first. "Maybe we score,'' said Cora. "When I saw it today, I was like, 'Wow -- unreal.' It just happens. Things happen in games. But if that ball goes down the line, maybe we have a chance to score.''