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Final: Astros 9, Red Sox 4 - Paxton, defense struggle and squander hot start
The Red Sox jumped out to an early 3-0 lead, thanks to an Adam Duvall three-run homer in the top of the first, but quickly squandered the hot start in Monday's 9-4 loss at Houston. Boston fell to 4.0 games out of the Wild Card with the loss to the Astros, who got a pair of home runs from Chas McCormick and one from Yainer Diaz. James Paxton struggled, making it through just 4.0 innings, giving up seven runs (six earned) on nine hits (one home run) with four strikeouts and three walks. Rafael Devers and the defense struggled to pick up Paxton early on.
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WHO: Red Sox (66-58 vs. Astros (70-55)
WHEN: 8:10 p.m. ET
WHERE: Minute Maid Park, Houston
SERIES TO DATE: 0-0
STARTING PITCHERS: LHP James Paxton (7-3, 3.34) vs. RHP Cristian Javier (8-2, 4.49)
TV/RADIO: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7
LINEUPS
RED SOX
1. Alex Verdugo RF
2. Rafael Devers 3B
3. Masataka Yoshida LF
4. Triston Casas 1B
5. Adam Duvall CF
6. Trevor Story DH
7. Pablo Reyes SS
8. Reese McGuire C
9. Luis UrÍas 2B
SP James Paxton
ASTROS
1. Jose Altuve 2B
2. Alex Bregman 3B
3. Kyle Tucker RF
4. Yordan Álvarez DH
5. Chas McCormick LF
6. Yainer Díaz 1B
7. Jeremy Peña SS
8. Jake Meyers CF
9. Martin Maldonado C
SP Cristian Javier
WHAT'S UP
The Red Sox are coming off a sweep of the Yankees, winning nine of their last 13 but remaining 3.0 games out of the Wild Card. Boston will wrap up its 10-game road trip with a four-game set in Houston.
The Astros are coming off a sweep to the Mariners, dropping to the second Wild Card spot, while Seattle leapfrogged Toronto.
Paxton will make his 15th career start against Houston. He is 8-4 with a 3.24 ERA in the previous 14. In his last five outings, he has a 2.96 ERA and has made it through a minimum five innings in each one. Last time out, he went 6.0 innings, giving up five hits and two earned runs on two homers with a walk and three strikeouts in a 6-2 loss to the Nationals on Wednesday.
Javier has gone fewer than six innings in eight of his last nine starts, going 1-1 with a 7.56 ERA. He'll make his fourth appearance and second start against the Sox, previously going 0-1 with a 2.77 ERA along with a save. He went 4.2 innings, allowing five runs (four earned) on six hits and one homer with a walk and two Ks in a 6-5 win at Miami last time out.