Sandy Leon starting in Game 1 for Red Sox

Kimbrel retired the first two batters in the ninth, then George Springer hit his second double of the game. Hitting just 91 miles per hour with his first fastball of the night, Sale labored through four precarious innings, his velocity sapped and his command non-existent. Three of them and one of his two wild pitches came in a fifth inning that nearly chased him from the game. If you feel I overreacted, so be it. “Couldn’t point a finger to why”, Verlander said.

Oh, and the quirks of Fenway perhaps aided that go-ahead run in coming around to score.

Josh Reddick doubled Houston’s lead with a solo homer leading off the ninth. If Price can go 5 strong innings allowing no more than two earned runs, that gives the Sox a chance to salvage the first two games of this series by getting a win to split before heading to Texas for the next three. “I’ve never seen it ride the top of that little edge like that before”. I felt like I was battling myself for a little bit.

The Red Sox tied the game in the fifth after Justin Verlander lost his command, walking three straight men, including Mitch Moreland with the bases loaded to force in a run. The Astros are of course angling to go up 2-0 in the best-of-seven series.

On a 3-2 count, Benintendi was rung up on a borderline pitch low and away.

Benintendi was less philosophical.

Benintendi became heated immediately following the call, throwing his shin guard, bat, and helmet to the ground while arguing with Hoye. That brought Cora out of the dugout with the hook, and as Price handed over the ball and walked off the mound, the Fenway crowd mostly cheered in approval, numerous fans on their feet.

The Red Sox said Game 1 starter Chris Sale was hospitalized with a stomach illness but Cora said he was still hoping the he would join the team in Houston. Andrew didn’t agree. I didn’t agree. He flied out to right field on the next pitch.

West’s inability to dodge the ball may have cost the Astros a base, as Vazquez’s throw was likely headed for center field if it didn’t smack the ump in the shoulder.

“From what I know it’s nothing serious, but obviously whenever you have to go to the hospital you have to be quote-unquote anxious”, manager Alex Cora said. Two batters later, Verlander spiked a curveball that skipped past Martin Maldonado behind the plate; Bradley Jr., on third after a Mookie Betts groundout, scampered home to tie the game at two.

“The tying run scoring was a little disappointing”, Verlander said. In Game 2, however, the Boston relief corps made the big difference. The Yankees set a Major League Baseball record for home runs by a team during the regular season, and cutting off their power was key to winning the series in four games.

“I don’t think anybody likes getting hit with the baseball”, Kelly said. “We’ve got D.P. on the mound and we got a bunch of guys in here that are fired up over tonight”. We went out there to make sure there was no issue with his head. We’re not gonna give up.

There hadn’t been a playoff team to simple walk 10 since the 2008 Tampa Bay Devil Rays walked 10 Red Sox in a 9-8 win in Game 2 of the ALCS.

Gonzalez almost exited the game in the bottom of the third when he crashed into the Green Monster attempting to catch Pearce’s fly ball that went for a double.

Pedroia was 16 for 58 against Price in his career before the left-hander signed a free agent deal with the Red Sox prior to the 2016 season.

Even in victory, the Red Sox were weakened, though the degree to which is still unknown.

Boston starter David Price was not at his best, but the Red Sox bullpen shut Houston down in the middle and late innings.

There had been no announcement about when Sale would pitch next, but if the Sox wanted to keep him on regular rest, he won’t be ready to start again until a potential Game 6 back at Fenway Park on Saturday. That he started and lasted just 4 2/3 innings means that Price wasn’t eligible for the win.