ALDS Game 4
Bregman, Reddick come up clutch to lead Astros past Red Sox 5-4 and earn a spot in the ALCS
Oct 9, 2017, 10:51 am
Alex Bregman's game-tying homer in the eighth started the Astros rally. Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
The Astros are headed to their first Championship Series appearance since 2005 after clutch hitting from Alex Bregman and Josh Reddick late in Game 4 to completed a thrilling comeback win.
Both teams pushed their chips all in, including bringing their ace pitchers in for relief appearances, but the Astros came on top winning 5-4 in Game 4 and taking the series 3-1. Alex Bregman had a huge homer to tie the game followed by the go-ahead single by Josh Reddick to send the Astros on to the win.
The Astros got on the board first as they have done in every game of this series as Jose Altuve grounded into a double play allowing George Springer to score from third to give the Astros a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Xander Bogaerts answered back for Boston with a solo home run off of Charlie Morton in the bottom of the first to tie the game 1-1.
Springer would give the Astros the lead back in the top of the second with a two-out RBI single to score Yuli Gurriel who tripled earlier in the inning to make it 2-1. The Astros went on to load the bases, but Rick Porcello ended the threat with a strikeout of Carlos Correa. The Red Sox were able to load the bases themselves with no outs in the bottom of the second but were unable to do anything with it as Morton threw back-to-back strikeouts followed by a popout to end the inning.
After finishing three innings, Porcello's day was done and in came Chris Sale from the bullpen to try and keep the Red Sox in the game and keep their season alive. Morton continued to pitch for the Astros into the fifth inning but was pulled in favor of Justin Verlander who made his first relief appearance ever as the Astros tried to beat out the rain and finish the series. Unfortunately, Verlander's first batter would give the Red Sox the lead as Andrew Benintendi launched a two-run go-ahead home run to make it 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth.
After multiple innings of dominant pitching by Sale, Alex Bregman took advantage of a changeup over the plate and knocked it over the Green Monster, tying the game at 3 in the top of the eighth. Sale faced two more batters, giving up a single to Gattis before getting McCann to line out for out number two, then was pulled in favor of Red Sox closer Craig Kimbrel. Kimbrel walked Springer before allowing Josh Reddick to put the Astros back in front 4-3 by hitting a single to score Maybin who was pinch running for Gattis.
Verlander bounced back from the homer in the bottom of the fifth and was able to pitch through the seventh without allowing any more runs. The Astros went to Ken Giles in the eighth inning and were able to get a 1-2-3 inning to hold the one-run lead. Carlos Beltran added another insurance run in the top of the ninth, hitting a RBI double off of Kimbrel, prompting a call to the bullpen to bring in Addison Reed who was able to get the final out of the inning.
Giles came back out for the ninth and allowed a home run to Rafael Devers to bring the Red Sox within one, but bounced back from it and was able to get a strikeout and two groundouts to save the 5-4 win.
Next Up: The Astros will be paying close attention to Game 4 between the Indians and Yankees tonight, as they will face the winner of that series starting on Friday, October 13th. If the Yankees are able to win the series, the Astros will have home-field advantage and host Game 1, while if the Indians win the Astros will head to Cleveland.
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After dropping a frustrating series to the Chicago White Sox, the Houston Astros find themselves in a familiar position—searching for answers, but still within striking distance. Despite their inconsistency, Houston sits just three games behind the AL West-leading Mariners, who are currently 7 games over .500 and riding an 8-2 stretch. For as up-and-down as the Astros have been, the division remains tantalizingly close.
That inconsistency was on full display throughout the White Sox series. Jake Meyers and Zach Dezenzo each played the roles of both hero and heartbreaker. Dezenzo launched a massive home run in Game 3, a moment that energized the dugout and briefly shifted momentum. But his costly defensive error later in the game flipped the script. Meyers was a spark plug in Houston’s lone win, delivering a clutch performance at the plate, only to run the team out of a rally in the finale when he was picked off second—right before Jeremy Peña ripped what would have been an RBI single.
Jose Altuve’s struggles are quietly becoming more worrisome. He’s recorded just one multi-hit game since April 19 and has only one homer since April 8. On Sunday, he swung at the first pitch after Lance McCullers had grinded through a 33-pitch inning—a decision that raised questions about his awareness in a veteran moment. Should manager Joe Espada have reminded Altuve of the situation? Or is this on Altuve, who should have known what to do as one of the team leaders?
Signs of life
There are flickers of life from the bats. Last week, Houston's team OPS was an underwhelming .667 (23rd in MLB), with a slugging percentage of .357 (25th). They've nudged those numbers up to .684 (19th) and .370 (21st), respectively. It’s modest progress, but enough to suggest this offense might be trending in the right direction. Still, their 5-5 record over the last 10 games feels emblematic of who they are right now—a .500 team with both talent and flaws.
Looking ahead
The upcoming schedule could be a turning point. Three of the next five opponents have losing records, and none of them are elite. This stretch offers a prime opportunity for Houston to finally build momentum and close the gap in the division—assuming the Mariners cool off from their current tear, which seems inevitable given their unsustainable 8-2 pace.
McCullers is officially back!
Lance McCullers returned for the first time since 2022 and, despite being limited to 3.2 innings due to command issues (three walks and a hit batter), there were encouraging signs. His velocity was there, and the stuff looked sharp. It’s a start, and perhaps a step toward stabilizing a rotation that still needs length.
Steering the ship
Manager Joe Espada, however, continues to draw scrutiny. His decision-making in the finale raised eyebrows again. Giving Isaac Paredes a day off when Yordan Alvarez was already sitting left the lineup depleted. Rather than using promising young infielder/outfielder Cam Smith, he opted for Mauricio Dubón and Brendan Rodgers—a defensive combo that didn't inspire confidence. It feels at times like Espada isn’t prioritizing winning the final game of a series, a pattern that could haunt the team down the stretch.
The plot thickens
Meanwhile, Christian Walker’s slump is dragging on. He went 0-for-5 twice in the last two series and looks out of sync at the plate. The Astros need more from their power hitters if they hope to make a real run. And with Alvarez now heading to the IL with hand inflammation, runs will be even harder to come by.
All told, this team still feels like one hovering just above or below .500. But in a division that remains wide open, the path forward is clear: play better, hope the Mariners come back to earth, and capitalize on a soft schedule. The race is far from over—but it’s time for Houston to start acting like contenders.
We have so much more to discuss. Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
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