FINAL: ALCS Game 1 - Astros 5, Red Sox 4 - Boston can't make 3-1 lead hold up despite Hernandez heroics

It looked like the Red Sox had this game for a while — they led 3-1 into the sixth — but a two-run homer from Jose Altuve off Tanner Houck tied it, and the Astros added two more before hanging on for the Game 1 win.

Houston barely withstood Kiké Hernandez, who stayed scorching hot with two homers, a double and a single. 

Chris Sale not lasting 3 innings made the Sox go early and deep into the bullpen. Each team used eight pitchers.

Houck blew the save and Hansel Robles, who allowed a homer to Carlos Correa, took the loss.

Hirokazu Sawamura was a disaster in the 8th as he loaded the bases with no outs and allowed a sac fly from Altuve that proved to be the difference.

WHO: Red Sox vs. Houston Astros
WHEN: 8:07 ET
WHERE: Minute Maid Park
SEASON SERIES: HOU 5-2
STARTING PITCHERS: LHP Chris Sale (5-1, 3.16) vs. LHP Framber Valdez (11-6, 3.14 )
TV/RADIO: FOX; WEEI-FM 93.7
BSJ LIVE BOX

LINEUPS

RED SOX

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

ASTROS

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

WHAT'S UP: The Red Sox are making their 12th trip to the ALCS...They are 30-32 all time in the ALCS, including 19-10 in their last 29 games and 8-2 in their last 10. 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). ....The Red Sox have won Game 1 of a best-of-7 ALCS 3 times...They went on to win 1 of those series (2007) and lose 2 of them (2003, ‘08). The Sox have 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, including each of the last 3 instances (1986, 2004, ‘13, ‘18). The Sox are opening an ALCS on the road for the 1st time since 2008 at TB (also in 1999, 2003, ‘04)....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 15-4 in Postseason games since the start of 2018 (all under Alex Cora), including 12-2 in their last 14 games and 6-1 in their last 7...They are making the 25th Postseason appearance in franchise history. The Sox are 106-87-1 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 (30-32), and 9-4 in the World Series (49-29-1). ....The Red Sox have won 4 of the last 17 World Series titles (2004, ‘07, ‘13, ‘18), the most championships in MLB this century. Under the current ownership group (2002-present), the Sox have been to the Postseason 11 times...The only other teams with 10+ appearances in the last 20 years are NYY (16), STL (13), LAD (13), and ATL (11). : The Red Sox have won each of their last 3 games...They are 21-12 (.636) since the start of September, including 15-6 (.714) in their last 21 games, 8-2 (.800) in their last 10, and 7-1 (.875) in their last 8. ...The Red Sox’ ALCS roster features 13 pitchers and 13 position players...9 players on the roster have won a World Series (Bogaerts, Devers, Hernández, Schwarber, Vázquez, Brasier, Eovaldi, Rodriguez, Sale). 2 players on the Sox’ ALCS roster were not on the club’s ALDS roster: RHP Hirokazu Sawamura and LHP Darwinzon Hernandez. ....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, to win Game 5 of the 2008 ALCS against the Rays at Fenway Park (trailed 0-7, won 8-7). ....Alex Cora is 15-4 (.789) in the Postseason (all with BOS)...His 15 wins rank 2nd in Red Sox Postseason history behind only Terry Francona (28-17). Cora is the 6th manager to lead the Sox to multiple Postseasons, joining Bill Carrigan (1915-16), Joe Morgan (1988, ‘90), Jimy Williams (1998-99), Francona (2004-05, ‘07-09), and Farrell (2013, ‘16-17). Cora is the 1st manager in modern MLB history (since 1900) to manage a full year with a team, then return to that team after a 1-year absence and lead them to the Postseason in his 1st year back (source: Elias). ...The Sox have recorded 63 hits this Postseason (.328 AVG) and allowed only 37 (.207 AVG)...They have out-hit their opponent in all 5 games (7-6, 9-6, 20-8, 15-10, 12-7). This is only the 2nd time the Sox have out-hit their opponent in each of their first 5 games in a Postseason (also 1915, all 5 games of the World Series vs. PHI). The Sox have recorded 12+ hits in each of their last 3 games, their 2nd-longest streak in Postseason history (4 straight games in 2007)...Red Sox have outscored opponents 32-22 in the postseason, while hitting .328 (63-for-192) while opponents are batting .207 (37-for-179)...The Sox have an OPS of .919 while holding opponents to a .666 HR  and have out-homered opponents 11-9 .....The Red Sox hit 9 HR and batted .341 in the ALDS, their highest AVG ever in a Postseason seriesIn only 1 other year have they hit 9+ HR in an ALDS (10 in 1999). The Red Sox became the 1st team in MLB history to record 15+ hits and 3+ HR in consecutive Postseason games (ALDS Games 2 and 3). The Sox’ 47 hits from Games 2-4 fell 1 shy of the MLB Postseason record for hits in a 3-game span...The record for hits in a 4-game span is 59 (ATL-1996 and ANA-2002). 

NOTES:

* The Red Sox made a few changes to their roster for the ALCS. Dropped from the DS roster were Matt Barnes and Austin Davis, while Darwinzon Hernandez and Hirokazu Sawamura. "It's just who we're facing,'' offered Alex Cora. "I think it's more about who they are and what they do. We feel like they match up better in this series, against this group. It's a different game -- it's not 28 (players), it's 26 and you have to make decisions based on what you feel is better for your roster.''

* It's been a long time since the Sox saw the Astros in person, with the last regular-season meeting coming in early June. Cora was asked how they might have changed since then.