The Red Sox had their Magic Number still sitting at one when the game started yesterday. The Sox had Drew Pomeranz on the mound and the team hoped he wouldn’t follow the trend of other starting pitchers, giving up runs early. Pomeranz dominated and left the mound in the 7th with the lead. The Sox bullpen brought the game home and it ended with the Sox popping champagne in the clubhouse! The Yankees won as well, but the Sox controlled their own destiny and once again the AL East is theirs.
The game stayed scoreless until the bottom of the 4th inning when the Sox bats scraped together a couple of runs off of Astros pitcher McCullers Jr. Hanley Ramirez hit an RBI single followed by an RBI double from Rafael Devers. Sox 2-0. The Sox really blew the game open in the bottom of the 5th when the Sox scored three more times. Benintendi hit an RBI single and then Moreland hit a 2 run RBI double to have the Sox up 5-0.
On the other side of the rubber, Drew Pomeranz was just getting the job done. Pomeranz pitched 6 strong, scoreless innings. Pomeranz went back out for the 7th, but was pulled when he gave up a lead off single. Farrell went with Carson Smith and unfortunately, Smith did not have a good outing. Smith ended up giving up RBI singles to both Gattis and Gurriel to give the Astros some life. David Price got up and got ready to come into the game. Initially it was said he wouldn’t be available, however he got the call and was in the game. Price got two outs, but then walked the bases full. Farrell came out to talk to him. Addison Reed was in the bullpen and thought he was being called into the game. Reed started to run to the mound, but then realized Price wasn’t going anywhere and turned around and ran back to the pen. It was a comical moment in an otherwise tense inning. Farrell was right to leave Price on the mound as he ended up striking out Springer to end the Astros threat. Sox 5-2.
In the bottom of the 7th, Mookie Betts got one of those runs right back when he hit a solo home run to the Monster. Sox 6-2. Addison Reed finally did get the call and came in for the 8th. Reed pitched a scoreless inning and handed the ball over to closer Craig Kimbrel in the 9th. The Fenway crowd were on their feet as the Sox were 3 outs away from clinching the AL East. The Yankees had already won, so it would be up to the Sox. Kimbrel gave up a solo home run to McCann to get the Astros within a run, but that would be it as Kimbrel struck out the side. The Sox clinched with one game to go and can now prepare for the ALDS with the Astros next Thursday.
Red Sox 6 Astros 3 BOXSCORE
WP: Pomeranz (17-6) LP: McCullers Jr (7-4)
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
