Astros beat Boston for ninth-straight win
Astros daily report presented by APG&E: 3 hits from the 3-1 win
May 17, 2019, 9:11 pm
Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images
Riding an eight-game winning streak into Boston, the Astros started a weekend series with the defending champion Red Sox in an ALCS rematch from last season. Here's a rundown of the first game of the three-game set:
Final Score: Astros 3, Red Sox 1
Record: 30-15, first in the AL West.
Winning pitcher: Will Harris (1-0, 1.23 ERA).
Losing pitcher: Rick Porcello (3-4, 4.80 ERA).
1) Porcello outlasts Cole before losing lead
Both starting pitchers had their work cut out for them going up against potent lineups at the plate. Gerrit Cole had a very respectable game, working in and out of some trouble to finish five scoreless innings with six hits, one walk, and seven strikeouts. Rick Porcello had a much more efficient night than Cole, finishing seven scoreless innings, but would allow two runs in the eighth to earn him the loss.
2) Springer breaks through late
After a tough night at the plate through the first seven innings, Houston finally had something to work with after Jake Marisnick led off the eighth with a double. That provided an opportunity for George Springer to blast a go-ahead home run, his 17th of the year, to put the Astros ahead 2-1. They'd make it a three-run inning by working a couple of walks then getting an RBI sac fly from Josh Reddick to extend the lead to 3-1.
3) Bullpen throws four innings of one-run ball
After Cole's night ended relatively early, it was up to Houston's bullpen to throw four innings and keep the Astros in the game. Things weren't looking good in the first of those four innings, with Hector Rondon allowing an RBI-single for the first run of the game, putting Boston up 1-0 at the time. That would be the only run the Red Sox would get, though, with Will Harris throwing a 1-2-3 seventh with two strikeouts, then Ryan Pressly throwing yet another scoreless inning, making it an MLB-record 39 straight appearances. Roberto Osuna took over in the ninth and worked around a one-out double and two-out walk to lock up another save and finish the win.
Up Next: The Astros will continue this series tomorrow with game two of three getting underway at 6:15 PM. Corbin Martin (1-0, 3.38 ERA) will make his second career start for Houston and look to repeat the success of his first as he goes up against Hector Velazquez (1-2, 3.95 ERA) for Boston.
The Astros daily report is presented by APG&E.
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The Houston Astros sent a message loud and clear with one of their most emphatic wins of the season, an 18-1 demolition of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and they did it without Yordan Alvarez or Jeremy Peña in the lineup.
Jose Altuve silenced the Dodger Stadium boos with a pair of home runs and even stayed after the game to sign autographs for young fans. Lance McCullers Jr. delivered six strong innings in a bounce-back outing, and the offense erupted behind big nights from Zach Short, Cam Smith, Yainer Díaz, and Christian Walker.
With key contributions across the board, this was a total team win, one that highlights the depth, momentum, and legitimacy of this Astros squad as the second half approaches. Manager Joe Espada is pressing all the right buttons, and with All-Star nods for Josh Hader, Hunter Brown, and Peña, Houston looks like a team no one wants to face right now.
Don't miss the video below as ESPN Houston's John Granato and Lance Zierlein react to the big series in LA, and much more!
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