With a day off on Monday to catch some rest, and winners of six of their last eight games, including three against this same Red Sox team, the Astros entered Fenway Park Tuesday night with some confidence on their side. It showed as they would pound Boston to get an early lead which they rode to the win in this three-game series opener.

Final Score: Astros 7, Red Sox 1

Astros' Record: 34-26, second in the AL West

Winning Pitcher: Framber Valdez (2-0)

Losing Pitcher: Martin Perez (4-3)

Houston blows it open early

Houston did not go easy on Martin Perez, whose last start resulted in 7.2 shutout innings against the Astros last week. Carlos Correa started the scoring with a one-out solo homer in the top of the first, then played a part in a five-run second. They began the inning with three straight hits, including a two-RBI single by Martin Maldonado.

Correa doubled in another, then with the bases loaded, Yordan Alvarez would get hit by a pitch before an RBI single by Yuli Gurriel made it 6-0. In the top of the fourth, Alvarez extended the lead another run with a monster solo homer 451 feet over the center-field wall.

Valdez does it again

Framber Valdez worked well with the lead, repeating his success against Boston in his seven-inning ten strikeout start against them on June 2nd. He allowed just one baserunner through the first three frames, a leadoff single in the bottom of the third, which he would erase. He faced trouble in the bottom of the fourth, putting two runners on via a hit batter and single, setting up a one-out RBI-groundout to get Boston on the board at 7-1.

He bounced back from that, stranding two more runners in the fifth, another in the sixth, then posting a 1-2-3 seventh. He faced two more batters, hitting one and getting another out to start the eighth. His final line: 7.1 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 8 K, 96 P.

Astros take the opener

Enoli Paredes came in from the bullpen to finish the eighth, erasing the inherited runner along with one of his own to keep it a six-run game going to the ninth. Blake Taylor came on to wrap things up, erasing a two-out double to finish off the win for Houston, the seventh in their last nine games.

Up Next: Another 6:10 PM Central start awaits these two teams for the middle game Wednesday night. Jake Odorizzi (0-3, 7.16 ERA) will try to get his first win of the year and lock up the series for the Astros, while Nathan Eovaldi (7-2, 3.78 ERA) will look to even things up for Boston.