Getty Images
Final: Red Sox 7, Astros 5 - Duvall's three-run homer gives Boston the lead in extras
Adam Duvall hit a go-ahead three-run home run in the top of the 10th inning. and the Red Sox came away with a 7-5 win in the third of four games against the Astros in Houston. It was Duvall's third straight game with a home run as Boston pulled within 4.0 games of the final Wild Card spot after Seattle and Toronto both lost. The Sox clawed back from a 3-0 and a 4-2 deficit to tie it at four apiece in the fifth before Duvall gave them their fist lead of the night in extras. It was also their first lead since his first-inning homer on Monday. Chris Sale gave up four runs on six hits in 5.0 innings of work before three scoreless frames between Garrett Whitlock and Chris Martin. Nick Pivetta picked up the win after he finished the ninth with a pair of strikeouts for an injured Kenley Jansen. Josh Wincowski earned the save.
––––––––––––––––––––
WHO: Red Sox (66-60) vs. Astros (72-55)
WHEN: 8:10 p.m. ET
WHERE: Minute Maid Park, Houston
SERIES TO DATE: Houston leads, 2-0
STARTING PITCHERS: LHP Chris Sale (5-3, 4.50) vs. RHP Jose Urquidy (2-3, 5.21)
TV/RADIO: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7
LINEUPS
RED SOX
1. Alex Verdugo RF
2. Rafael Devers 3B
3. Justin Turner DH
4. Triston Casas 1B
5. Adam Duvall CF
6. Trevor Story SS
7. Wilyer Abreu LF
8. Pablo Reyes 2B
9. Connor Wong C
SP Chris Sale
ASTROS
1. Jose Altuve 2B
2. Alex Bregman 3B
3. Kyle Tucker RF
4. Chas McCormick LF
5. Yandy Diaz DH
6. Jose Abreu 1B
7. Jeremy Peña SS
8. Jake Meyers CF
9. Martin Maldonado C
SP Jose Urquidy
WHAT'S UP
The Sox now sit 5.0 games out of the Wild Card behind Seattle after back-to-back sloppy losses in Houston, handicapped by poor defense and a total lack of timely hitting.
Boston now leads all of baseball with 90 errors as a team. Rafael Devers' 16 errors are tied with Detroit's Javier Baez for the most by any player in baseball, two more than Kiké Hernández.
Wilyer Abreu will get the start in X, the first start of his career. Entering midway through the game after Alex Verdugo got ejected, Abreu went 2-for-3 with a double, a strikeout and a throwing error in right field.
It's up to Sale to help right the ship after James Paxton and Tanner Houck failed to get any support behind them, even with some mixed results on the mound. Sale is 0-1 with a 4.00 ERA in two starts since returning from the injured list. He gave up three runs (two earned) on three hits and three walks with three strikeouts in 4.1 innings of work last time out, a 10-7 loss to the Nationals on Thursday. It'll be his 10th start against the Astros. He is 5-3 with a 2.20 ERA over the previous nine.
Like Sale, Urquidy is also recently back from an elongated stint on the injured list. In three outings since making his return, he's give up six runs across 10.1 innings. Urquidy threw two scoreless innings with three strikeouts and two hits in a 2-0 loss against Seattle last Friday. He'll make his fourth start against Boston. He's 3-0 with a 2.50 ERA in the previous three.