Red Sox starter Eduardo Rodríguez came off the mound with a six-run lead and a message for Carlos Correa and the Houston Astros:
Now is the time for Boston.
Touching his wrist to mimic Puerto Rican Correa’s celebration in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series, Rodríguez saw four more home runs from Boston, including a record-breaking grand slam by Kyle Schwarber, for a 12- Monday victory. 3 that gave the Red Sox a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven game.
The taunt upset Boston manager Alex Cora, who reminded his pitcher that they need two more wins to advance to the World Series for the fifth time since 2004. Games four and five will be played at Fenway Park on Tuesday and Wednesday.
“It’s not that I’m mad at him,” said Cora, who was celebrating her 46th birthday. “We don’t act like that. We went out, we played and we kept going ”.
A game after JD Martinez and Rafael Devers rocked grand slams, Schwarber sent a 3-0 pitch at 430 feet into the right-field bleachers in the second inning.
Boston is the first team ever to hit three bases loaded home runs in a postseason series.
Electrifying. It’s amazing, ”said outfielder Alex Verdugo. “You can have a great swing and get four runs on just that play, it’s huge.”
“It’s one of the best plays in baseball, man. If you give up a grand slam, it makes you lose a lot, “he added.
Martinez and Devers hit home runs again, Christian Arroyo also knocked it out of the park and Puerto Rican Kiké Hernández had another two hits for Boston, which built a 9-0 lead in the opening innings to seal their second straight win.
Right fielder Hunter Renfroe closed the game with a spectacular catch off a hit line by Correa.
The Astros need to win at least one of the next two games to force the series return to Houston.
“It counts as one (loss),” Astros manager Dusty Baker said. “Tomorrow we come back and win and the series is even. Tonight you don’t like it, but in the morning you recover ”.
Rodriguez claimed victory after allowing five hits, including a three-run homer by Kyle Tucker, in six innings in which he struck out seven and failed to seal walks.
The loss went to the record of Astros starter, Mexican José Urquidy, who conceded six touchdowns, five of them earned, on five hits and two passes on balls in just 1 2/3 inning.
For the Astros, Venezuelan José Altuve 4-0. The Cubans Yordan Álvarez 4-1, with one scored; Yulieski Gurriel 3-2. Puerto Ricans Carlos Correa 4-0; Martín Maldonado 2-0. The Dominican José Siri 3-0.
For the Red Sox, Puerto Ricans Kiké Hernández 4-2; Christian Vázquez 4-2, with two runs scored and two RBIs. The Dominicans Rafael Devers 4-1, with two runs scored and one produced; Danny Santana 1-0. Aruban Xander Bogaerts 5-0
.
