The Houston Astros clinched a narrow 5-4 victory against the Boston Red Sox in a game that kept fans in their seats until the last pitch. Let’s dig into the key stats and standout performances that shaped this exciting matchup.
Batting Statistics
Boston Red Sox
| Player | Position | AB | R | H | RBI | AVG |
| J. Duran | CF | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .287 |
| T. O’Neill | RF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .265 |
| R. Refsnyder | LF | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | .301 |
| R. Devers | 3B | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .298 |
| R. Gonzalez | 2B | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .268 |
| D. Jansen | C | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .226 |
| T. Casas | 1B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .253 |
| C. Wong | DH | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .289 |
| M. Yoshida* | PH-DH | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | .300 |
| C. Rafaela | SS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .262 |
* M. Yoshida homered for Wong in the 6th
Houston Astros
| Player | Position | AB | R | H | RBI | AVG |
| J. Altuve | 2B | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .300 |
| Y. Alvarez | DH | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | .310 |
| Y. Diaz | 1B-C | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | .299 |
| J. Pena | SS | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | .277 |
| V. Caratini | C | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | .290 |
| Z. Dezenzo | PR-1B | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .161 |
| J. Meyers | CF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .228 |
| T. Cabbage | RF | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .212 |
| J. Singleton* | PH | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .234 |
| C. McCormick | RF | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .197 |
| M. Dubon | LF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .252 |
| S. Whitcomb | 3B | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .300 |
* J. Singleton flied out for Cabbage in the 6th
Batting Highlights
Boston Red Sox
- HR: J. Duran (16), M. Yoshida (9)
- RBI: J. Duran (62), M. Yoshida 2 (45)
- 2-Out RBI: M. Yoshida 2
- Runners left in scoring position, 2-Out: R. Devers, T. Casas
Houston Astros
- 2B: Y. Alvarez (29)
- HR: Y. Diaz (14)
- SF: J. Singleton (3)
- RBI: Y. Diaz (70), V. Caratini (21), J. Singleton (31), M. Dubon (37)
- 2-Out RBI: M. Dubon
- Runners left in scoring position, 2-Out: J. Altuve, Y. Diaz, J. Pena, T. Cabbage
Baserunning
Boston Red Sox
- CS: C. Rafaela (8)
Houston Astros
- SB: C. McCormick (8)
Fielding
Boston Red Sox
- DP: 2 (Rafaela-Gonzalez-Casas; Rafaela-Gonzalez-Casas)
- E: D. Jansen
Houston Astros
- DP: 2 (Altuve-Pena-Diaz; Whitcomb-Altuve-Diaz)
- E: J. Altuve (3), J. Pena (13), V. Caratini (3), S. Whitcomb
Pitching Statistics
Boston Red Sox
| Pitcher | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
| T. Houck | 6.0 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 3.01 |
| C. Martin (H, 12) | 1.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3.03 |
| L. Sims (BS, 4) | 1.0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4.25 |
| K. Jansen (L, 3-2) | 0.1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2.84 |
Houston Astros
| Pitcher | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
| Y. Kikuchi | 5.2 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 4.37 |
| T. Scott | 1.1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1.86 |
| C. Ferguson | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5.08 |
| J. Hader (W, 6-6) | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.36 |
Pitching Details
Boston Red Sox
- Pitches-Strikes: T. Houck 90-61, C. Martin 13-11, L. Sims 23-12, K. Jansen 4-4
- Ground Balls-Fly Balls: T. Houck 11-2, C. Martin 2-0, L. Sims 1-0, K. Jansen 0-1
- Batters Faced: T. Houck 26, C. Martin 5, L. Sims 6, K. Jansen 2
Houston Astros
- Pitches-Strikes: Y. Kikuchi 99-64, T. Scott 19-13, C. Ferguson 11-7, J. Hader 12-9
- Ground Balls-Fly Balls: Y. Kikuchi 8-2, T. Scott 1-3, C. Ferguson 1-0, J. Hader 1-2
- Batters Faced: Y. Kikuchi 25, T. Scott 5, C. Ferguson 3, J. Hader 3
Clutch Performances
Yainer Diaz: The Game-Changer
- Decisive moment: Game-winning solo home run in the 9th inning
- Recent form: Also homered in the previous game, showcasing his hot streak
Mauricio Dubón: The Equalizer
- Key contribution: RBI single in the 8th inning, tying the game at 4-4
Jarren Duran: The Quick Starter
- Notable feat: Leadoff home run, setting an early tone for the Red Sox
Masataka Yoshida: The Power Hitter
- Impactful play: Two-run homer in the 6th inning, giving the Red Sox a 4-2 lead
Pitching Breakdown
Starting Pitchers
Yusei Kikuchi (Astros)
- Innings pitched: 5 2/3
- Hits allowed: 6
- Earned runs: 1
- Overall performance: Solid outing, keeping the Astros in contention
Tanner Houck (Red Sox)
- Innings pitched: 6
- Hits allowed: 8
- Earned runs: 2
- Strikeouts: 8
- Notable: Strong performance, striking out 8 batters
Bullpen Highlights
Josh Hader (Astros)
- Innings pitched: 1
- Runs allowed: 0
- Result: Earned the win (6-6 record)
Kenley Jansen (Red Sox)
- Key moment: Struck out Yordan Alvarez on three pitches in the 9th
- Crucial mistake: Allowed the game-winning homer to Diaz
- Result: Took the loss (3-2 record)
Defensive Struggles
The Astros’ usually reliable defense had an off night:
- Total errors: 4 (season-high)
- Notable miscue: Jose Altuve’s throwing error in the 6th inning, leading to an unearned run
Game-Changing Moments
- 6th inning: Yoshida’s two-run homer puts Red Sox ahead 4-2
- 8th inning: Dubón’s RBI single ties the game
- 9th inning: Diaz’s solo shot secures the win for the Astros
Looking Ahead
- Next game: The series continues with Nick Pivetta (Red Sox) facing Ronel Blanco (Astros)
- Noteworthy return: Justin Verlander set to come off the injured list for the series finale
This thrilling contest showcased the resilience of the Astros, who overcame defensive lapses to secure their 11th win in 12 games. The Red Sox, despite strong performances from several players, couldn’t hold onto their late lead, setting the stage for an exciting continuation of the series.
