Boston leads the series 2-1
Astros slammed again by Red Sox as Boston takes series lead with ALCS Game 3 win
Oct 18, 2021, 10:28 pm
Jose Urquidy's rough outing was ill-timed for the Astros in ALCS Game 3. Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
Jose Urquidy's rough outing was ill-timed for the Astros in ALCS Game 3.
"It's just a rough couple of games, it's nothing to worry about" is a common outlook on two bad games in the regular season. Throughout a 162-game stretch, it's a sentiment that teams can use without too much worry on occasion. In a best-of-seven, however, two bad games can be the last straw that ends your season.
For the Astros, after a rough Game 2 that was doomed after the first two innings, they would watch as Boston duplicated their early-game success to jump out to an insurmountable lead in Game 4 to take a 2-1 series lead in Boston.
Final Score: Red Sox 12, Astros 3
ALCS Series (Best of Seven): Boston leads 2-1
Winning Pitcher: Eduardo Rodriguez
Losing Pitcher: Jose Urquidy
Boston continues to slam Houston's starters in Game 3
If the demoralizing start to ALCS Game 2 for Houston wasn't bad enough, where they allowed two grand slams in the first two innings to the Red Sox, things started just as terrible for the Astros in Game 3 in Boston. Hoping to get some length from their starter for a change in this series, Jose Urquidy looked good in the bottom of the first, getting a 1-2-3 frame on just eleven pitches to start his night.
Things went downhill fast in the bottom of the second, though, as Urquidy would load the bases on two walks and a double as his command started failing. An RBI single started the scoring, followed by a groundball mishandled by Jose Altuve which, doubled the new deficit to 2-0. That brought Kyle Schwarber to the plate, and he blew the game open with a grand slam, Boston's third in the last two games, to make it a daunting 6-0 score.
BOSTON SLAM PARTY! pic.twitter.com/dIp9svKzGp
— MLB (@MLB) October 19, 2021
Urquidy would get another out but allowed two more singles as he would make an early exit like the other two starters so far in this series. Yimi Garcia came in to wrap up the second, then got banged around in the bottom of the third, allowing a one-out walk, RBI single, and two-run home, extending Boston's advantage to 9-0 and continuing to diminish Houston's optimism for this game and potentially the series.
Astros try to build some momentum
The Astros had no choice but to try and start building momentum, whether in an attempt at an improbable comeback in Game 3 or to give them something with which to start Game 4 on a positive note. After two singles in the top of the fourth, Kyle Tucker would get Houston's first highlight of the night and first runs, getting a three-run homer to cut the lead back to six runs at 9-3.
.@KTuck30 keeps raking this #postseason 💪 pic.twitter.com/PDMSY6lED3
— MLB (@MLB) October 19, 2021
Red Sox take Game 3 and series lead
Blake Taylor was the next reliever out of the Astros' bullpen, and he was able to work around a single and walk for a scoreless fourth. Brooks Raley had the fifth, and he sat down the three batters he faced in order, sending the game to the sixth. He stayed in the game for the bottom of the sixth, but after a walk and two outs would be lifted for Phil Maton, who would give up the tenth and eleventh runs on a two-run homer to J.D. Martinez, pushing the lead back to eight runs at 11-3.
Maton finished the sixth, then continued in the seventh, and had a 1-2-3 inning that frame. In the bottom of the eighth, Ryne Stanek was Houston's next reliever, but too would not be immune to the long ball, as Rafael Devers would pour salt in the wound with a solo homer to make it 12-3. The Red Sox put an end to things in the top of the ninth, taking a significant 2-1 advantage in the series, leaving the Astros in dire need of a win in Tuesday's Game 4.
Up Next: Game 4 of this ALCS will get started at the same time as Game 3 did, with first pitch scheduled for 7:08 PM Central from Boston. While the starting pitching matchup is still TBD, the common belief is that Nick Pivetta will get the nod for Boston, while the Astros figure to put Zack Greinke back into a starting role with their recent blows to starter depth.
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Astros keep doing this, and it’s getting hard to ignore
Jun 25, 2025, 10:01 pm
While the rolling Astros have a week of possible World Series preview matchups against the Phillies and Cubs, it’s the Rockets who made the biggest local sports headline with their acquisition of Kevin Durant. What a move! Of course there is risk involved in trading for a guy soon to turn 37 years old and who carries an injury history, but balancing risk vs. reward is a part of the game. This is a fabulous move for the Rockets. It’s understood that there are dissenters to this view. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, including people with the wrong opinion! Let’s dig in.
The Rockets had a wonderful season in winning 52 games before their disappointing first-round playoff loss to the Warriors, but like everyone else in the Western Conference, they were nowhere close to Oklahoma City’s caliber. While they finished second in the West, the Rockets only finished four games ahead of the play-in. That letting the stew simmer with further growth among their young players would yield true championship contention was no given for 2025-26 or beyond.
Kevin Durant is one of the 10 greatest offensive players the NBA has ever seen. Among his current contemporaries only Stephen Curry and Nikola Jokic make that list. For instance, Durant offensively has clearly been better than the late and legendary Kobe Bryant. To view it from a Houston perspective, Durant has been an indisputably greater offensive force than the amazing Hakeem Olajuwon. But this is not a nostalgia trip in which the Rockets are trading for a guy based on what he used to be. While Durant could hit the wall at any point, living in fear that it’s about to happen is no way to live because KD, approaching his 18th NBA season, is still an elite offensive player.
As to the durability concern, Durant played more games (62) this past season than did Fred VanVleet, Jabari Smith, and Tari Eason. The season before he played more games (75) than did VanVleet, Dillon Brooks, and Alperen Sengun. In each of the last two seasons Durant averaged more minutes per game (36.9) than any Rocket. That was stupid and/or desperate of the Suns, the Rockets will be smarter. Not that the workload eroded Durant’s production or efficiency. Over the two seasons he averaged almost 27 points per game while shooting 52 percent from the floor, 42 percent from behind the three-point line, and 85 percent from the free throw line. Awesomeness. The Rockets made the leap to being a very good team despite a frankly crummy half-court offense. The Rockets ranked 21st among the 30 NBA teams in three-point percentage, and dead last in free throw percentage. Amen Thompson has an array of skills and looks poised to be a unique star. Alas, Thompson has no credible jump shot. VanVleet is not a creator, Smith has limited handle. Adding Durant directly addresses the Rockets’ most glaring weakness.
The price the Rockets paid was in the big picture, minimal, unless you think Jalen Green is going to become a bonafide star. Green is still just 23 years old and spectacular athletically, but nothing he has done over four pro seasons suggests he’s on the cusp of greatness. In no season has Green even shot the league average from the floor or from three. His defense has never been as good as it should be given his athleticism. Compared to some other two-guards who made the NBA move one year removed from high school, four seasons into his career Green is waaaaaay behind where Shae Gilgeous-Alexander, Anthony Edwards, and Devin Booker were four seasons in, and now well behind his draft classmate Cade Cunningham. Dillon Brooks was a solid pro in two seasons here and shot a career-best from three in 2024-2025, but he’s being replaced by Kevin Durant! In terms of the draft pick capital sent to Phoenix, five second round picks are essentially meaningless. The Rockets have multiple extra first round picks in the coming years. As for the sole first-rounder dealt away, whichever player the Rockets would have taken 10th Wednesday night would have been rather unlikely to crack the playing rotation.
VanVleet signs extension
Re-signing Fred VanVleet to a two-year, 50 million dollar guarantee is sensible. In a vacuum, VanVleet was substantially overpaid at the over 40 mil he made per season the last two. He’s a middle-of-the-pack starting point guard. But his professionalism and headiness brought major value to the Rockets’ kiddie corps while their payroll was otherwise very low. Ideally, Reed Sheppard makes a leap to look like an NBA lead guard in his second season, after a pretty much zippo of a rookie campaign. Sheppard is supposed to be a lights-out shooter. For the Rockets to max out, they need two sharpshooters on the court to balance Thompson’s presence.
For Astro-centric conversation, join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and me for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday. Click here to catch!
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