Final: Astros 6, Red Sox 1

HOUSTON -- The Red Sox three-game winning streak ground to a halt Wednesday when the team mustered just four hits -- none until the sixth inning -- and were beaten by the Houston Astros, 6-1.

Rich Hill lasted just three innings and allowed four of the runs. Brayan Bello, who took over in the fourth, lasted just two outs before leaving with a left groin strain.

Reese McGuire, making his first start since joining the Sox, had two of their hits. The Sox broke through in the ninth on a solo homer from Xander Bogaerts.

WHO: Red Sox vs. Houston Astros
WHEN: 2:10 p.m.
WHERE: Minute Maid Park
SERIES TO DATE: BOS 2-0
SEASON SERIES TO DATE: 4-1
STARTING PITCHER: LHP Rich Hill (4-4, 4.20) vs. RHP Jose Urquidy (9-4, 3.86)
TV/RADIO: NESN; WEEI-FM 93.7

LINEUPS

RED SOX

Duran CF
Pham LF
Devers DH
Bogaerts SS
Verdugo RF
Arroyo 3B
Dalbec 1B
McGuire C
Sanchez 2B

ASTROS 

Altuve 2B
Pena SS
Alvarez DH
Bregman 3B
Diaz LF
Tucker RF
Mancini 1B
Vazquez C
Dubon CF

WHAT'S UP: The Red Sox have won each of their last 3 games and are 4-2 in their last 6...They are tied with the Blue Jays for the AL’s longest active win streak. The Sox have secured a series win against the Astros, snapping a 9-series winless streak (0-7-2)... Their last series win had been 6/24-26 at CLE. : The Red Sox have come from behind to win each of their last 3 games...In 7 of their last 8 wins, the Sox came from behind (including each of their last 4). ..The Red Sox have allowed a total of 5 runs in their last 3 games, including only 3 ER (1.00 ERA)...In that span, Sox relievers have thrown 9.2 scoreless innings. The Sox have allowed 2 runs or fewer in each of their last 3 games (2, 2, 1), after doing so in 3 of their previous 23. The Sox’ starting pitcher has earned a win in each of the team’s last 3 games (Winckowski, Eovaldi, Crawford). ...The Red Sox have snapped a streak of 4 consecutive series losses on the road...Overall, they are 8-8-1 in road series and 27-25 in road games. The Sox’ 3.73 road ERA ranks 7th in the majors. ...The Red Sox are 21-7 (.750) against AL West teams, including 17-3 in the last 20 games...They are 8-1-0 in series against the division (8-0-0 in last 8). The Sox are 4-1 against the Astros, having secured their first season series win vs. HOU since 2016. The Sox have won their last 3 games at Minute Maid Park, matching their longest streak at the venue since it opened in 2000 (also 2011 and 2013-14). ...Beginning 8/11 against the Orioles, 35 of the Red Sox’ final 50 games are against AL East opponents: BAL (11), NYY (9), TB (9), and TOR (6). The Sox are 0-11-1 in series against AL East teams but 13-4-4 in series against all other teams. ...This series at HOU concludes the Sox’ stretch of 27 consecutive games (7/4-8/3) against teams that entered today with at least a .500 record: NYY (7), TB (7), CLE (4), HOU (3), MIL (3), and TOR (3). 41 of the Sox’ remaining 57 games are against teams that entered today with a winning record. ...The Red Sox have won each of their last 6 extra-inning games, after losing each of their first 6. ....The Red Sox are opening the 2nd half with a stretch of 17 consecutive days with a game from 7/22-8/7 (5-7 so far), matching their longest streak of the season...They also closed the 1st half with a stretch of 17 consecutive days with a game from 7/1-17. ..... The Red Sox began the season 10-19 through their first 29 games...They could become the 1st team to lose as many as 19 of their first 29 games and still make the Postseason since the 1989 Blue Jays (10-19). Last season, the Braves were 51-54 through 105 games before going on to win the World Series. ...Xander Bogaerts is on the cusp of becoming just the 8th player to record 150+ HR and 300+ doubles with the Red Sox (149 HR, 298 doubles entering today’s game). Only 24 players in MLB history have recorded 150+ HR and 300+ doubles prior to turning 30 years old, including 1 shortstop (Alex Rodriguez) and 1 Red Sox player (Carl Yastrzemski)...Bogaerts turns 30 on 10/1. ...The Red Sox have 10 players on the Injured List, including 3 position players (Trevor Story, Kiké Hernández, and Rob Refsnyder) and 7 pitchers (Chris Sale, James Paxton, Michael Wacha, Tyler Danish, Matt Barnes, Josh Taylor, and Matt Strahm). ...12 players have made their Red Sox debuts in 2022: Brayan Bello (MLB debut), Tyler Danish, Jaylin Davis, Jake Diekman, Jeter Downs (MLB debut), Tommy Pham, Rob Refsnyder, Yolmer Sánchez, Trevor Story, Matt Strahm, Michael Wacha, and Josh Winckowski (MLB debut). The Red Sox have won 13 of their last 17 games in which their opponent starts a LHP (17-8 in 2022)...They are scheduled to face a left-handed starter Thursday and Saturday against the Royals. Against LHP, the Sox rank 3rd in the AL in AVG (.264) and 2nd in OBP (.334). Xander Bogaerts (.484) and J.D. Martinez (.453) rank 1st and 4th in the AL in OBP against LHP. The Red Sox have 3 qualified hitters with at least a .350 OBP and .450 SLG, matching the Dodgers and Angels for most in the majors: Rafael Devers (.380/.612), Xander Bogaerts (.388/.454), and J.D. Martinez (.350/.454). The Sox feature 6 players with 40+ RBI, tied for 2nd-most in the majors behind only TOR (8).

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