In the second inning, with the Red Sox already up 2-0, Betts banged an RBI double that shattered a panel in the left field scoreboard.
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But as the teams open a three-game series in Houston on Friday night, the Red Sox are 7-8, while the last-place Astros were 5-10 heading into Thursday night’s game against the Texas Rangers. In the eighth, Hembree was again impressive, issuing a walk but striking out two more.
Curry is a noted fan of the Red Sox, which is great because the Warriors are staying in the same hotel as them.
He was nearly flawless last night, taking a 5-0 lead the Red Sox offered him and cruising into the seventh before he allowed his only run. According to oddsmakers at Bovada.lv, the Astros are favored at home today, as they are getting odds of -125 to win, while the Red Sox have a money line of +115 to win.
Houston’ only RBI came from George Springer in the ninth, driving in Gomez.
A lack of clutch hitting has been an ongoing problem during Houston’s disappointing 5-12 start, during which it’s batting.
The Astros did manage to score a run in the seventh, however, after Wright walked Evan Gattis and Luis Valbuena. They hit McHugh early and often. “We’ve gotten punched in the face a bit over these first couple of weeks, but we will respond”. He has eight hits in his last three games, including a double, two triples and two home runs. He flied out in the sixth.
After Robbie Ross. Jr. ran into trouble in the ninth, Craig Kimbrel was brought on to secure the game’s final out against Astros shortstop Carlos Correa. “To pitch the innings he’s doing, he’s been the stabilizer in our rotation”.
Mike Fiers (1-1, 6.48) has permitted three first-inning runs through three starts.
The Astros managed baserunners in every inning against Wright excluding the fourth, but he rarely approached danger.
Dustin Pedroia, Xander Bogaerts, Hanley Ramirez and Travis Shaw recorded two hits apiece against Houston, which has lost four in a row. Bogaerts was on the ground for a minute and was attended to by the trainer before leaving under his own power.
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Betts would give the Red Sox an important late insurance run when he tripled off Luke Gregerson to the gap in right-center and scored off a wild pitch. As a reliever who wouldn’t have to build the arm strength to get through multiple innings, Smith is expected to be activated from the disabled list sooner than Rodriguez, who figures to make at least three rehab starts on a five-day schedule.
