Red Sox 6, Astros 1

 

The Red Sox sweep Houston! 

All the action happened in the fourth inning, when all nine Boston batters got to the plate. Roman Anthony led off with a double to deep left center, and then Romy González walked. Trevor Story singled to right center, scoring Anthony and advancing González to third. Rafaela then singled to left center, scoring González and advancing Story to third. Then Astro's pitcher Framber Valdez (11-4, 2.62 going into the game) balked, scoring Story and advancing Rafaela to second. Rafaela then took third on a wild pitch. Toro singled to shallow center and then Abreu sacrificed, scoring Rafaela and advancing Toro to second, but on the throw to first, Valdez threw the ball wide and Abreu was safe at first and Toro took third. 

So four runs, no outs, runners on second and third, and the pitcher already committed a balk, a wild pitch, and a throwing error, but the Astros left Valdez in anyway. Good.

Connor Wong hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Toro and advancing Abreu to third. Five runs, one out, and Valdez stays in the game. 

Refsnyder grounded out, scoring Abreu. Six runs, two outs, and Valdez stays in the game as former Astro star Alex Bregman comes to the plate.

In a perfect world, Bregman would have hit a home run, but unfortunately that's not the world we live in. He lined out, ending the inning, but nine batters and six runs ain't that bad at all. That six-run fourth inning gave us all the scoring the Sox needed, and they held on and won, 6-1, and improve to 62-51 (.549). Giolito got the win, his 8th of the season. 

But wait, there's more! The Yankees lost, again, and the Sox take a 1½ game lead over third-place New York. And Toronto gave up five runs to Kansas City in the 10th inning to lose, 7-4, at home, so Boston is now only three games back from first place.  Exciting times we're living in, kiddo. Exciting times.

Next, the Sox will host K.C. (55-56, including today's win over the Jays). Bailey Falter (7-5, 3.73) will make his first start for the Royals (they got him in a deadline trade from Pittsburgh) against Brayan Bello (7-5, 3.19), who went seven innings and won his last start, a 13-1 shellacking of Minnesota back on July 30.