BOSTON โ In a thrilling victory on Friday night, the Boston Red Sox came from behind to defeat the Houston Astros 2-1 in the 10th inning. The pivotal moment came when Roman Anthony struck a fly ball just over the head of the center fielder Chas McCormick, allowing the automatic runner from third to score and clinch the win for Boston. This comeback marked an impressive rally for the Red Sox against the reshaped Astros team.
The game took off with the Astros in the lead after a second-inning home run by Christian Walker which put Boston at a 1-0 disadvantage. The Red Sox managed to equalize in the seventh inning thanks to Wilyer Abreuโs sacrifice fly, setting the stage for a nail-biting finish. In the bottom of the 10th, Abreu was placed at second base to start the inning, aiming to edge Boston ahead. Ceddanne Rafaelaโs initial bunt attempt to advance Abreu to third did not succeed. However, Rafaela then made contact, nudging the ball just a few feet ahead. The catcher, Yanier Diaz, aimed to catch Abreu at third base, but his throw was too late.
Anthony took his chance with a 2-2 pitch, sending it skyward toward center field. Although McCormick dashed forward, the ball soared just beyond his reach, earning Anthony what was recorded as a walk-off single. The win was secured by Greg Weissert (4-3) who pitched flawlessly during the 10th inning, contributing to the Red Soxโs ascent, marking their fifth win in six games as they reached nine games above .500 for the first time this season.
On the other hand, Bennett Sousa (5-1) was unable to secure an out, resulting in his first career loss. The Astros saw impressive performances despite the defeat, with Walker homering and Hunter Brown maintaining a shutout until the seventh inning. Jeremy Peรฑa had a stellar game with three hits. New acquisition Jesรบs Sรกnchez contributed two hits, while Carlos Correa, returning to the team that initially drafted him in 2012, unfortunately went without a hit in this game. The Astros, leaders of the AL West, have bolstered their roster aiming for a ninth consecutive postseason appearance.
A critical moment unfolded in the top of the 10th inning. The Astros had a runner on third with just one out when Mauricio Dubรณn grounded a ball to shortstop Trevor Story, who made a pivotal throw home to prevent the go-ahead run, maintaining Bostonโs chance for victory.
In a notable event for former Red Sox star Alex Bregman, who spent his entire career with Houston until this season, he recorded singles in his first two at-bats against his old team.
The series continues with Red Sox right-hander Walker Buehler (6-6) set to take on Astros left-hander Colton Gordon (4-3) on Saturday afternoon.