Rafael Devers

MLB News: ALCS, Boston leads 2 games to 1, Sox scored 12 last night

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The New York Yankees were out of the postseason when they lost to the Red Sox in the wild card. However, Boston has not stopped their winning ways leading the ALCS two games to one. They have two more to play at Fenway Park before moving back to Houston if necessary.

Game One: The first game featured Sox Ace Chris Sales against the Astro’s Framber Valdez. Vazquez doubled in the top of the first, scoring Altuve from third as the Astros got on the board first. In the top of the third Kike Hernandez answered with a homer to the left-field stands to tie the game up at one apiece. Then, in the bottom, Altuve bungled a hit, and Bogaerts scored. Then Renfroe hit an RBI double to make it 3-1 Sox.

Jose Altuve tied it up with a two-run homer into the left-field stands in the bottom of the sixth inning. Carlos Correa put one up into the stands in left at the bottom of the seventh, putting the Astros up by one. At the bottom of the eighth, Altuve hit a sac fly scoring Gurriel from third, Astros 5 Boston 3. Kiki Hernandez hit another homer just into the stands in the top of the ninth, drawing the Red Sox one-run closer, but that was it for the Sox as the Astros took game one 5-4. The winning pitcher was Ryne Stanek, the loser was Hansel Robles, and the save went to Ryan Pressly.

Game Two:

The Red Sox entered the second game of the 2021 ALCS behind a game in the series, hoping to salvage one game at MinuteMaid Park in Houston. They did it, winning the second game by beating Houston 9-5. Nathan Eovaldi went into the sixth inning, giving up just three runs; Ottavino and Whitlock combined for 2.2 scoreless innings. Hernandez gave up two runs in his .02 innings of work, while Brasier finished it up for the Sox, getting the final out and win. Meanwhile, the Red Sox racked up nine runs in the contest.

J.D. Martinez and Rafael Devers put the game pretty much out of reach for the Astros by getting two Grand Slams in the game. It started poorly for the Astros and starter Luis Garcia when Martinez got his Slam in the first inning. Then, in the second, he gave up another run, which was the night for Garcia. To make matters worse for the Astros, the Sox loaded up the bases for Rafael Devers to hit his Grand Slam in the same inning. It’s the first time in postseason history that two Grand Slams had been achieved in the first two innings of a postseason game.

In the top of the fourth, Kiki Hernandez, who led the Sox in hits, this postseason hit his 3rd home run of the postseason making it 9-0 Red Sox. The Astros got three runs back in the bottom of the sixth, but it was far too little, far too late. That also signaled the end of Eovaldi’s pitching effort. At the bottom of the ninth, the Astros made a valiant attempt at a rally, and although scoring two home runs, it wasn’t enough. The loss for the Astros tied up the series at one apiece. The winning pitcher was Eovaldi and the loser was Garcia.

Game Three:

If the Houston Astros looked back to the last game at their home park as a miserable failure, they were in store for even greater embarrassment at Fenway Park last night. The Boston Red Sox piled on the runs, twelve of them to put the Sox up two games to one.

The Red Sox sent out Eduardo Rodriguez to start facing Jose Urquidy. Just like in the previous game, the Astros were out of the game early. The Red Sox scored nine runs in the first three innings. It was a chilly autumn night in Boston but even colder for the Astros. In the second inning, Boston got on board with an RBI hit by Christain Vazquez. Then, JD Martinez scored on a line drive that bounced off Jose Altuve. Boston 2-0. Then with the bases loaded, Kyle Schwarber got a Grand Slam Boston 6-0. In the third, Renfroe scored, then Christian Arroyo hit a two-run blast into the green monster stands to make it 9-0 Boston.

In the top of the fourth inning, Kyle Tucker hit a three-run homer for the Astros, but again just as in the last game, it was too little too late. Meanwhile, Boston starter Eduardo Rodriguez pitched masterfully through six innings. In the bottom of the sixth, J.D. Martinez struck again, this one a two-run shot into the green monster to make it 11-3 Boston. In the bottom of the eight, Devers tacked on another run up into that same monster for the final score of 12-3 Boston, putting the Red Sox up two games to one in the series with two more games at Fenway. The winning pitcher was Rodriguez and the loser Urquidy.

This series between the Red Sox and the Astros have been a home run-fest for anyone who likes a lot of action in a baseball game. There have been three Grand Slams, 14 home runs and a total of 38 runs scored. But that was not the only excitement in the games. Both teams have made some fantastic defensive plays. With the Red Sox playing with their enthusiasm in the last two games, it’s hard to imagine that they can be stopped. The difference in the teams, other than the Grand Slams is that the Red Sox has had excellent starting pitchers with the last two starters going nearly twelve innings combined.

New York Yankees: 3 Major takeaways from Yankees second loss to the Red Sox

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After a devastating tenth inning loss to the Red Sox on Thursday night, the New York Yankees, with their ace Gerrit Cole on the mound, were hoping to get back to their winning ways. Unfortunately, it was not to happen. Instead, they lost the second game of the series 6-2.  Now they have the challenging task of winning the next two games so they can at least come away from Fenway Park with a split and feeling a little better about themselves.

Cole’s stuff wasn’t good enough

If the New York Yankees were going to win a game in this four-game set against the Boston Red Sox, last night was the night with Yankee ace Gerrit Cole on the mound. After all, he had won his last two outings in great fashion, one a complete 129 pitch game against the Houston Astros. The other win was against these same Boston Red Sox when he allowed just one run on the night.

Last night in an aftergame interview, Cole explained that for the most part, he made his pitches, but last night the Sox wore him down early, throwing 70 pitches in the first three innings. He lasted only five innings using 104 pitches. The big blow came in the fifth inning when Rafael Devers took a good pitch and hit it into the monster seats at Fenway. Cole called Devers a special player for his ability to hit that pitch. In his usual candid way, he also admitted that the whole Red Sox lineup was working on all cylinders last night. Cole was making pitches over 100mph, but they just weren’t good enough.

Lack of hitting continues to dog the Yankees

Last night was deja vu all over again. Like in so many games this season, the New York Yankee lineup didn’t hit the ball. They could only muster up six hits in the game. With hits and walks, they left eleven Yankees on the bases last night. Basically, the Yankees only hit the ball against bad pitchers or good pitchers that make bad mistakes. This situation has dogged them in almost all games this season.

There may be some excuse for it last night as the Yankees are not operating at full strength. Last night missing from the lineup, was slugger Aaron Judge, third baseman Gio Urshela, both on the Covid list. They were also short first baseman Luke Voit who is out with a bum knee. Still, the Yankees had opportunities in the game but failed to take advantage of them.

Last night the Yankees did not hit a home run, and when they don’t hit home runs, they seldom win. Brett Gardner and Rougie Odor had the only RBI’s in the game. Giancarlo Stanton was patient at the plate, getting a hit and taking two walks. The Yankees had their chances with starter Eduardo Rodriguez leaving the game after the first inning and the Yankees trying to beat up the Boston bullpen for the next 8 innings. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen as the Yankees struck out twelve times against 6 Sox pitchers.

The hitting star of the game was Rafael Devers with his two home runs. Devers drove in five of the six Red Sox runs. Gerrit Cole was correct; Devers is a very special player.

Gary Sanchez injured in the fifth

With 16 on the injured or Covid list, the beleaguered New York Yankees took another blow last night. In the fifth inning catcher, Gary Sanchez had to leave the game with what was described as back spasms. With backup catcher Kyle Higashioka already on the Covid list, this presents a big problem for the Yankees. Unless Sanchez goes on the IL, the Yankees will have to send a player down as they call up another backup catcher. After the game last night, Boone was asked if Sanchez would be available to catch on Saturday afternoon. Boone responded that it was too early to tell and evaluate the situation in the morning.

Note: Today’s game at Fenway Park is at 4:05 pm, with Jameson Taillon on the mound for the Yankees and Nathan Eovaldi for the Red Sox. The game will be televised on the YES Network, NESN in Boston, and nationally on FS1.