Bregman, Reddick come up clutch to lead Astros past Red Sox 5-4 and earn a spot in the ALCS

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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The Longhorns host Georgia on Saturday night. Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images.

By any measure, from the official statistics to the informal eye test, top-ranked Texas' defense has been dominant.

The Longhorns rank No. 1 in total defense and scoring defense. They are top 10 in first downs allowed, tackles for loss and passing yards. Much of that is built against opponents starting former walk-on quarterbacks ( Michigan ) and freshmen ( Mississippi State and Oklahoma.)

But the level of quarterback play Texas will face, in both talent and experience, is about to get much better over the second half of the season.

Texas hosts No. 5 Georgia on Saturday night in the first matchup of top five teams in Austin since 2006, before playing the next week at Vanderbilt. Bulldogs senior Carson Beck was a preseason first team Associated Press All-America pick, and standout Vanderbilt transfer Diego Pavia has carried the Commodores to a surprising 4-2 start, including a historic win over then-No. 1 Alabama.

Quite simply, Texas hasn't defended this caliber of quarterback all season.

Beck is a player on the doorstep of the NFL, Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said.

“There's nothing in the throw game (Beck) can't do,” Sarkisian said. “He's played enough football now, too. It's kind of hard to confuse guys when they've played that much football.”

Texas (6-0, 2-0 SEC) has allowed just one team to pass for more than 200 yards this season. Beck passed for 459 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions last week in a 41-31 win over Mississippi State. His 36 completions set a Georgia record.

Even when Beck struggled early in Georgia's loss to Alabama, he rallied the Bulldogs to a late fourth-quarter lead. He finished with 439 yards in the loss where Georgia's rally ended with an Alabama interception in the end zone in the final minute.

Sarkisian recruited Beck when the Texas coach was an assistant at Alabama. Beck had initially committed to the Crimson Tide before switching to Georgia.

Beck is 18-2 in his career as a starter, and 6-2 against top 20 opponents.

The Bulldogs (5-1, 3-1) will need another exceptional game from him Saturday. A second SEC loss could threaten any chance of playing for the SEC championship, and raise the alarms on the College Football Playoff as well.

Texas has all but overwhelmed opposing quarterbacks so far.

In last week's 34-3 thrashing of rival Oklahoma, the Longhorns sacked Sooners freshman quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. five times, and held him to 27 yards on 20 carries. Texas allowed just 225 total yards.

Hawkins was the first Sooners freshman to start at quarterback against the Longhorns in the 120-year history of the rivalry and was quickly swallowed up by a relentless pass rush.

By the numbers, the Longhorns program is on pace for a historic season. Sarkisian has said his favorite stat is points allowed, which is not many.

Texas has surrendered only three touchdowns all season. Opponents have snatched four turnovers inside Texas territory, but none have produced points.

That ability to snuff momentum can drain an opponent, Sarkisian said.

“We're so composed as a defense,” Texas safety Michael Taaffe said. “We're so confident, that no matter what happens, everything is going to be alright.”

The only time Texas has trailed this season was a 3-0 early deficit against Oklahoma. Several Longhorns starters were still on the field when the Sooners' final drive stalled at the Texas 6-yard-line as the game ended.

The stars emerging for the Longhorns have been second-year linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. and freshman edge rusher Colin Simmons.

Hill leads the team in total tackles (42), sacks (4 1/2) and tackles for loss (8 1/2). His sideline-to-sideline speed and move this season from the edge to the middle of the Texas defense has drawn comparisons to former Longhorns All-American Derrick Johnson 20 years ago.

Simmons has four sacks and 7 1/2 tackles for losses, second on the team in both categories.

“Size, speed,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said in summing up the Texas defense.

“They’re the complete package on defense," Smart said. "The consistency you watch them play with, it reminds me of some of our best teams here.”By any measure, from the official statistics to the informal eye test, top-ranked Texas' defense has been dominant.