The Boston Red Sox have returned in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series and have equalised thanks to their 7-5 win over the Houston Astros. The decisive factor was a curious double by Boston’s Jackie Bradley Jr.
The Red Sox showed themselves especially offensively recovered from the difficult game 1 of the series. Mookie Betts opened the match with a lead-off double against Gerrit Cole (6 IP, 6 H, 5 R, 4 ER), who didn’t call up his ALDS Gala Form against Cleveland again.
Andrew Benintendi followed with an RBI single and then scored himself to 2:0 on an RBI single by Rafael Devers. The first inning was tough from the guests’ point of view: The Sox sent eight batteries to the record and Cole allowed three hits and a walk. To top it all off, he also made an error in a pick-off attempt on second base, which only brought Benintendi to third base.
The astros, however, promptly struck back. Against David Price, whose team did not lose for the first time in his eleventh Postseason start, George Springer equalized the second inning with his 2-Run-Double. In the third, Houston took a 4-2 lead through a 2-Run-Homerun by Marwin Gonzalez over the Green Monster.
Cole, however, got into trouble again and loaded the bases with two hits and a walk on two outs. It was followed by Bradley, who beat a double against the Green Monster. The ball bounced back so strangely that Left Fielder Gonzalez reached it much too late, so that all three base runners came home. 5-4 Red Sox.
Price then stabilized and held out until the fifth inning. After two outs and two walks, manager Alex Cora finally pulled the rip cord and brought Reliever Matt Barnes, who finished the inning. Price pitched 4 2/3 innings (4 ER) and got a No-Decision – to win he would have needed one more Out.
Boston added two more runs offensively. In the seventh frame Betts benefited from a Passed Ball from Catcher Martin Maldonado, in the eighth scored Devers after RBI double of Betts.
The Boston Bullpen then presented itself in strong form. Barnes pitched a perfect sixth inning and Ryan Brasier didn’t allow a hit either. Rick Porcello took over the eighth position, before Craig Kimbrel’s ninth inning in the Closer team was a little tense. An RBI single by Jose Altuve shortened the score to 5:7, but Alex Bregman’s fly out ended the game afterwards.
The series goes to Texas, where both teams can make everything clear with three wins. Game 3 will take place on Tuesday at 23.09 (live on DAZN) at Minute Maid Park in Houston.
This article was published without prior review by Major League Baseball.