ALCS GAME 4: RED SOX 8, ASTROS 6

Astros come up short in Game 4, lose to Red Sox 8-6, trail in ALCS 3-1

Astros come up short in Game 4, lose to Red Sox 8-6, trail in ALCS 3-1
This play cost the Astros big time. Bob Levey/Getty Images

After a controversial call early in the game potentially erased two runs from Houston, both teams went back-and-forth with the Red Sox ultimately coming out ahead, edging out the Astros 8-6 to win the last three games and take a commanding 3-1 lead in the ALCS. The Red Sox are now one win away from eliminating Houston and moving on to the World Series.

Charlie Morton did not get far into Game 4, going just two and one-third innings during which he allowed three runs on three hits with two walks. The bullpen behind him too would fall victim to Boston's potent offense, allowing five more runs. For the Astros, George Springer and Tony Kemp hit solo home runs, Carlos Correa drove in two runs, and Jose Altuve and Josh Reddick each had an RBI as well in the loss.

The Red Sox were able to once again get runs in the first inning to set the tone their way early, getting the best of Morton in the top of the first inning. Morton hit Betts to start the game, walked J.D. Martinez with one out, then allowed a two-RBI single to Rafael Devers with two outs to give Boston the quick 2-0 lead. Springer, moved down to second in the lineup behind Alex Bregman, hit a one-out single in the bottom of the inning off of Rick Porcello. Altuve was up next, and drilled a ball to right field that made it into the first row, but Mookie Betts was able to leap high enough to contest the ball with a fan in the front row, and what arguably should have been ruled and left as a home run was instead ruled fan interference which stayed that way after a review. So instead of tying the game, the Astros would end up empty-handed in the inning, leaving it a 2-0 deficit. 

Morton had a much smoother top of the second, working around a two-out walk to keep Boston from scoring any more runs. In the bottom of the inning, Reddick led off with a double, allowing Correa to trim the Red Sox lead to one run with an RBI-single off of Porcello to make it a 2-1 game. Porcello was able to get the next three batters in order to stop the threat there, though.

Andrew Benintendi missed a solo home run by just a foot or so to lead off the top of the third, but instead, it would be a double off the wall. He would move to third on another ball that Martin Maldonado let get past him, then scored on an RBI-double by Xander Bogaerts that would end Morton's night early, and bring in Josh James from the bullpen, who was able to get the last two outs of the inning.  Springer hit a no-replay-needed dinger to lead off the bottom of the inning, bringing the Astros back within one run at 3-2. Altuve was next and hit one just short of a home run himself, off the top of the left field wall, but stayed on second for two outs before  Reddick came through with another hit on the night, an RBI-single to tie the game 3-3 before Porcello could end the inning. 

Josh James continued to throw heat in the top of the fourth, getting a couple of outs before a walk resulted in a caught stealing by Maldonado who cannoned a ball to second for the third out. Kemp gave Houston their first lead of the game, finally, with a one-out solo home run to make it 4-3 Houston in the bottom of the inning. 

Just like in the third inning, it was Benintendi getting a double that set up another score, a two-out RBI single by Bogaerts that made it 4-4 off of James who remained in the game to eat up some innings. Porcello's night was done after four innings, with Joe Kelly coming in from Boston's bullpen to pitch the bottom of the fifth, and allowed a one-out single to Yuli Gurriel who then moved to second on a wild pitch. Correa was up with two outs and a chance to put Houston back ahead and came through with his second RBI of the night, a single to make it 5-4 Astros. 

James continued on in the top of the sixth and after a two-out double allowed a two-run go-ahead home run to Jackie Bradley Jr. to put Boston back in front 6-5. In the bottom of the inning, Eduardo Rodriguez started the inning but was quickly pulled after a leadoff walk to Tony Kemp, with the Red Sox going to Ryan Brasier to face Bregman. Brasier would win the battle, and the next two as well, to get three outs to strand Kemp and maintain the one-run lead.

Ryan Pressly took over for Houston in the top of the seventh but was unable to get his usual dominant inning, instead, he loaded the bases with two outs, prompting A.J. Hinch to go to Lance McCullers Jr., who walked in a run before getting the final out. Brasier returned for a second inning in the bottom of the seventh, but it was Marwin Gonzalez who won the first at-bat with a bloop single to lead things off. Brasier was able to get the next two outs on fly balls, then Carlos Correa hit a double to the right-field corner to put runners on second and third and bring in another reliever for Boston, Matt Barnes. Barnes would face the pinch-hitting Tyler White and strike him out looking to end the inning. 

McCullers Jr. was back on the mound in the top of the eighth and allowed a one-out single to Betts, who moved to second on yet another wild pitch, then scored on an RBI single from J.D. Martinez to extend the lead to 8-5. In the bottom of the inning, Boston went to closer Craig Kimbrel. Kemp led off the inning for a single but got thrown out trying to advance to second on a perfect throw from Betts for the first out. Bregman went to first on a hit-by-pitch, then to third on a one-out double by Springer. Altuve was next, and scored Bregman on an RBI-groundout to make it 8-6, but left Springer on second with two outs. Springer would steal third, but get left stranded there as Kimbrel would get a strikeout of Gonzalez to end the inning. 

Tony Sipp started in the top of the ninth, but after issuing a one-out walk then single was pulled for Collin McHugh. McHugh was able to get the final two outs thanks to an amazing diving catch from Reddick to keep it a two-run game. Kimbrel was tasked with a six-out save by coming back out for the bottom of the ninth but struggled to find the zone walking back-to-back batters with one out, bringing the go-ahead run to the plate in Brian McCann. McCann flew out to right field for the second out, but Kimbrel would walk Kemp next to load the bases, bringing up Bregman. Bregman came out swinging, lining a ball to left field, but Benintendi would play the hero, making a diving catch to save the game for the Red Sox.

Game 5: The final game in Houston, and possibly the series, will be tonight at 7 p.m. Central, and can be seen again on TBS. We know that it will be ace Justin Verlander going for Houston, who was a part of Houston's only win of this series so far in Game 1. Boston's starter has not yet been named, as it's uncertain if David Price will be available after warming up in the bullpen during the late stages of Game 4. In any case, the Astros will have to win three straight to take the series and advance, and this is likely their easiest matchup of the possible remaining three games.

Most Popular

SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome

Listen Live

ESPN Houston 97.5 FM
Get your popcorn ready! Composite image by Brandon Strange.

Filed the column early this week with Astros’ baseball that counts arriving Thursday! Ideally that arrival occurs with Minute Maid Park’s roof open under sunny skies with temperature in the mid-70s and only moderate humidity (that’s the forecast).

As they ready for their season-opening four game series, the Astros and Yankees enter 2024 with streaks on the line. The Astros take aim at an eighth consecutive American League Championship Series appearance while obviously aiming ultimately higher than that. The Yankees are a good bet to fail to make the World Series for the 15th consecutive season, which would be a new Yankees’ record! At its origin in 1903 the franchise was known as the New York Highlanders. The name became the Yankees in 1913, with the first franchise World Series appearance coming in 1921. So that was 18 years of play without winning a pennant. Maybe that gives the Yanks something to shoot for in 2027.

On the more immediate horizon, the Astros and Yankees both start the season with question marks throughout their starting rotations. It’s just that the Astros do so coming off their seventh straight ALCS appearance while the Yankees are coming off having missed the postseason entirely for the first time in seven years. Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole can spend time Thursday chit-chatting about their days as Astro teammates because they won’t be pitching against one another. Cole’s absence hurts the Yankees more than Verlander’s should the Astros. Cole was the unanimously voted AL Cy Young Award winner last season, and at eight years younger than Verlander the workload he was expected to carry is greater. Cole is gone for at least the first two months of the season, the Astros would be pleased if Verlander misses less than one month.

Whoever does the pitching, the guy on the mound for the Astros has the benefit of a clearly better lineup supporting him. The Yankees could have the best two-man combo in the game with Aaron Judge batting second ahead of offseason acquisition Juan Soto. Two men do not a Murderers’ Row make. Gleyber Torres is the only other guy in the Yankees’ projected regular batting order who was better than mediocre last season, several guys were lousy. The Astros have six guys in their lineup (Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez, Kyle Tucker, Alex Bregman, Chas McCormick, and Yainer Diaz) who were better in the batter’s box than was Torres last season. The Yanks have hopes for a healthy and huge bounce back season from the brittle and 34-years-old Giancarlo Stanton. Good luck with that.

Man with a plan

We have to see how things play out over the season of course, but it is exciting to see new manager Joe Espada’s progressive outlook on a number of things. Acknowledging that Astros’ baserunning has too often been deficient, Espada made improving it a spring training priority. The same with Astros’ pitchers doing a better job of holding opposing base runners at first with base stealing having occurred with the highest success rate in MLB history last season. Tweaking the lineup to bat Alvarez second behind Altuve is a strong choice. Having your two best offensive forces come to the plate most frequently is inherently smart.

Opting to bat Tucker third ahead of Bregman rather than the other way around also seems wise business. Let’s offer one specific circumstance. An opposing pitcher manages to retire both Altuve and Alvarez. Tucker walking or singling is much more capable of stealing second base and then scoring on a Bregman single than the inverse. Or scoring from first on a ball hit to the corner or a shallow gap. I suggest in a similar vein that is why the much older and much slower Jose Abreu should bat lower in the lineup than Chas McCormick and Yainer Diaz. Though Espada giving Abreu veteran deference to get off to a better season than Abreu’s largely lousy 2023 is ok. To a point.

Eye on the prize

The ceiling for the 2024 Astros is clear. Winning a third World Series in eight years is viably in play. The floor is high. Barring an utter collapse of the starting rotation and/or a calamitous toll of injuries within the offensive core there is no way this is only a .500-ish ballclub. That does not mean the Astros are a surefire postseason team. The Rangers may again have a better offense. The Mariners definitely begin the season with a better starting rotation. In the end, other than when it impacts team decision-making, prognostication doesn’t matter. But these two words definitely matter: PLAY BALL!

To welcome the new season we’ll do a live YouTube Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast about 30 minutes after the final out is recorded in Thursday’s opener.

Our second season of Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast is underway. Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and I discuss varied Astros topics weekly. On our regular schedule the first post goes up Monday afternoon. You can get the video version (first part released Monday, second part Tuesday, sometimes a third part Wednesday) via YouTube: stone cold stros - YouTube with the complete audio available at initial release Monday via Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome