The Astros took an early lead in the game against the Red Sox with Bregman and Alvarez hitting home runs in the first inning. They went on to win the game 6-2.
BOSTON — Alex Bregman and Yordan Alvarez hit back-to-back homer runs in the first inning and the Houston Astros continued their late-August surge with a 6-2 win over the Red Sox on Tuesday night.
Mauricio Dubón contributed a double that brought in two runs during the sixth inning for the Astros. They managed to stay competitive in a closely contested battle for the AL West, as they began the night trailing division-leading Seattle by just one game.
Bregman expressed the significance of scoring runs early in the game, stating, “It was a great accomplishment to get some runs on the scoreboard.” He further contributed with an RBI single during the fifth inning.
The Astros have gained a 3 1/2-game advantage over Toronto in the race for the last AL wild card position, while trailing Texas by just 1 percentage point, who currently holds the second spot.
After losing three consecutive games last week, which included two defeats against the Red Sox in Houston, the Astros, who are the reigning World Series champions, have managed to win four games in a row by relying on their powerful hitting. They have scored a total of 45 runs during this winning streak.
J.P. France expressed his excitement about our current progress, stating that the bats are performing exceptionally well. Both the starters and bullpen are effectively fulfilling their roles, resulting in a cohesive team effort. France’s remarks come after rebounding from a challenging game against the Red Sox, where he suffered a 17-1 loss at Houston, and securing his 10th win of the season within a week.
PHOTOS: Bregman, Alvarez homer in 1st inning leading Astros over Red Sox 6-2
France (10-5) pitched 5 2/3 innings, holding Boston to two runs on five hits with one walk and three strikeouts.
Adam Duvall homered for Boston, which has lost four of five and fell one step closer to being knocked out of playoff contention with 29 games remaining.
Brayan Bello (10-8) threw for 4 and 2/3 innings, giving up three runs – two of which were earned – on four hits. He also had two walks and two strikeouts. Unfortunately, in the fifth inning, an error by Rafael Devers at third base led to an unearned run, allowing Houston to extend their lead to 3-1 with Bregman’s RBI single.
“After the initial inning, his performance was commendable. However, our team failed to execute plays in support of him,” commented Alex Cora, the manager of the Boston team. “Our inability to make plays placed us in a disadvantageous situation.”
After a challenging beginning in the first inning, Bello regained his composure. Following his strikeout of Jose Altuve, Bregman and Alvarez consecutively hit home runs, giving the Astros a 2-0 lead.
Bregman hit a 2-1 sinker from Bello towards left-center field, resulting in his 22nd home run. He had just reached the dugout when Alvarez hit a line drive that landed just inside Pesky’s Pole in right field, marking his 23rd home run.
Houston manager Dusty Baker stated that although many of them tend to go foul in that area, this particular one did not have enough time to do so.
ROOKIE REDEMPTION
France, who made his big-league debut in May, was facing the Red Sox for the second time in less than a week and fared much better in Boston. France was also the starter last Friday, when he lasted just 2 1/3 innings and allowed 10 runs on 11 hits.
“He achieved his 10th victory. It’s quite impressive considering he wasn’t someone you had high expectations for,” Baker commented. “He has turned out to be our unexpected standout. He approaches his work with dedication and a composed demeanor. That’s the kind of attitude you appreciate in young players.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Astros: Reinstated OF Michael Brantley from the 60-day injured list and started him in left field. Brantley, a five-time All-Star, hadn’t played in a game since June 2022 and had been recovering from surgery on his right shoulder. Brantley batted sixth and went 0-for-4. … The Astros optioned OF Corey Julks to Triple-A Sugar Land and designated RHP Jake Cousins for assignment.
The Red Sox have stated that OF Jarren Duran will be unable to play for the rest of the season due to a toe injury that required surgery. Manager Alex Cora has expressed confidence that Duran will recover in time for spring training.
UP NEXT
Astros RHP Framber Valdez (9-9, 3.40 ERA) starts the series finale Wednesday afternoon. The Red Sox had yet to name a starter for the game, which is the Red Sox’s last at home until Baltimore visits on Sept. 8.
