JV LOOKED GOOD
Houston Astros bats falter as Red Sox spoil Verlander's return
Aug 21, 2024, 4:20 pm
Red Sox defeat the Astros, 4-1. Photo by Maria Lysaker/Getty Images.
Rookie Ceddanne Rafaela doubled twice with two RBIs and fellow rookie David Hamilton added a solo homer in the ninth inning to lead the Boston Red Sox to a 4-1 win over the Houston Astros on Wednesday.
Rafaela’s first double off Justin Verlander (3-3) gave Boston a 2-1 lead in the second inning. He drove in another run with a double with two outs in the seventh.
Hamilton’s home run to right field off Seth Martinez made it 4-1 with two outs in the ninth.
The Red Sox, who were swept by the AL West-leading Astros at home earlier this month, won this series after getting a 6-5 victory Tuesday night.
Alex Bregman hit his first career leadoff home run in his return to the lineup after missing five games with a swollen right elbow. But the Astros struggled at the plate the rest of the day, going 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position after finishing 0 for 8 Tuesday.
Bregman was batting first for just the third time this season with Jose Altuve getting a rare day off.
Verlander allowed four hits and two runs with six strikeouts in five innings in his first start since June 9. The 41-year-old, who was out with stiffness in his neck, threw 76 pitches after tossing 57 in his second rehabilitation start Thursday.
Red Sox starter Cooper Criswell permitted four hits and a run in 4 2/3 innings. Josh Winckowski (4-1) pitched a scoreless sixth for the win and Chris Martin struck out one in the ninth for his first save.
The Astros had a chance to take the lead in the seventh. Jake Meyers and Mauricio Dubón hit back-to-back singles with no outs in the bottom of the seventh and they both moved up a base on a wild pitch by Greg Weissert.
Pinch-hitter Jon Singleton struck out before pinch-hitter Trey Cabbage walked to load the bases. Bregman was retired on a foul ball Wilyer Abreu caught in foul territory before Weissert was replaced by Brennan Bernardino.
He struck out Yordan Alvarez on an outside pitch to end the threat and cause a frustrated Alvarez to toss his bat.
Jarren Duran, who went 4 for 4 Tuesday night, led off with a double before scoring on a one-out single by Triston Casas to put the Red Sox up early.
Connor Wong was on first with two outs in the second when Rafaela doubled off the wall in left field to put Boston back on top 2-1.
Masataka Yoshida singled to start the seventh and stole second base with one out. There were two outs in the inning when Rafaela doubled on a line drive to the corner of left field to score Yoshida and make it 3-1.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Astros: Martinez was sent to Triple-A Sugar Land after Tuesday night’s game to make room for Verlander on the roster. But he was recalled before Wednesday’s game after RHP Kaleb Ort was placed on the paternity list.
UP NEXT
Red Sox: Boston is off Thursday and hasn’t released its rotation for a three-game series against the Diamondbacks that starts Friday night.
Astros: Houston hasn’t announced its rotation for a four-game series that starts Thursday night in Baltimore.
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NFL insiders hint at eye-opening future for Houston Texans offense
Dec 7, 2024, 2:38 pm
C.J. Stroud faced criticism in Houston's last few games as the Texans hit a rough patch after losing just two of their first eight games.
But the second-year quarterback remained confident and his strong performance last Sunday helped the Texans (8-5) to a 23-20 win over the Jaguars to enter their bye with a two-game lead atop the AFC South.
“When he is leading and playing the way he is playing, our entire team feeds off of him,” coach DeMeco Ryans said. “I am excited for his second year. I think he is showing a ton of growth, he is in a really great spot for us physically, mentally. I really love where he is and I am excited to see how he comes back after the break.”
Stroud threw for 242 yards and a touchdown against Jacksonville to leave him ranked fourth in the NFL with 3,117 yards passing this season. That game came after he threw two interceptions in a 32-27 loss to Tennessee a week before for the team’s third loss in four games.
Those two interceptions brought his season total to nine, which are four more than he threw in 15 games a rookie. But the Texans aren’t worried about that statistic and believe he has grown in his second year.
“He’s made a lot of progress,” general manager Nick Caserio said. “There are some plays, like all of our players, that we probably wish he could have back, but happy he’s our quarterback, happy with what he brings to the table. ... Wouldn’t want anyone else leading this team.”
The Texans are in position to win their division for a second straight season despite dealing with several significant injuries on offense. Running back Joe Mixon missed three games early with an ankle injury and leading receiver Nico Collins was sidelined for five games with a hamstring injury.
They also lost four-time Pro Bowler Stefon Diggs for the season when tore an ACL in Week 8.
Mixon leads the team with 887 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns and has added four touchdown receptions. His work in his first season in Houston after a trade from Cincinnati has helped the team deal with those significant injuries to the receiving corps.
Mixon ranks third in the NFL by averaging 88.7 yards rushing a game and has had at least 100 yards rushing in seven games.
Stroud has continually raved about Mixon’s contributions on and off the field.
“He’s a servant, a helper,” Stroud said. “That’s ultimately what I want to be as well. Who can I serve and how can I help? That’s ultimately what the game of football is.”
While Mixon has been the team’s most important new acquisition on offense, Danielle Hunter has been Houston’s new defensive star. The defensive end spent his first eight seasons in Minnesota before joining the Texans this year.
He has helped Houston lead the NFL with 84 tackles for loss after piling up 15 this season, which is tied for third most in the league. He also leads the Texans with 10½ sacks to help them rank second with 42.
Hunter been a great addition to a team that already had defensive end Will Anderson Jr., last year’s AP Defensive Rookie of the Year. Anderson ranks second to Hunter on the team with 13 tackles for loss and 9½ sacks.
Ryans said this week’s break is much needed for a team that opened the preseason on Aug. 1 in the Hall of Fame game.
“It’s here and we’re going to take advantage of it,” he said. “We’ve been going at it for a long time.”
The Texans need to recharge this week with a brutal stretch of three games in 10 days when they return from their bye. Houston hosts Miami on Dec. 15 before a trip to Kansas City on Dec. 21 and a visit from the Ravens on Christmas Day.
“It’s Christmas and all that, but we can’t worry about that. All we can do is focus on Miami,” Caserio said. “And then when we get through the Miami game, then we kind of turn the page to the next. ... We’re either going to earn it or we’re not. Not to oversimplify it, but that’s the truth.”
The Texans will play those game without starting linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair after he received a three-game suspension for his violent hit to the head of Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence, which led to a concussion.
Al-Shaair will be eligible to return for Houston’s regular-season finale against Tennessee.