*Photo from MassLive*
Series tied 1-1
In order to flip the script from a disappointing game one loss to open the series, the Boston Red Sox had a very grand time. JD Martinez hit a grand slam, Rafael Devers hit a grand slam, and the Red Sox defeated the Houston Astros 9-5 on Saturday night, pulling even in the series with a 1-1 tie.
The grand slams hit by Martinez and Devers were the first time in baseball history that a team has hit two grand slams in a postseason game. It's the first time the Red Sox have hit two grand slams in the first two innings of a game since August 7, 1984, when Bill Buckner and Tony Armas did it against Jack Morris of the Detroit Tigers.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora said of the hitting approach that "I think when we have this humble approach that we're not trying to do too much, then big things happen. And JD, that was great to see him going the other way. Raffy, not trying to do too much and hitting the grand slam. It's a very good approach right now. We're not getting greedy. Like I said a few days ago, it's not about hitting 30 home runs or driving in 100 runs. It's about winning four games against the Astros. So now we got one, and now we go to Fenway."
Martinez got the game started with a bang in the first, with his two out grand slam giving Boston an early 4-0 lead, before they even took the field. In the second, Devers followed with a grand slam down the right field line, breaking open the game, making it an 8-0 score. In the top of the 4th inning, Kike Hernandez hit his 5th home run of the postseason, a solo shot, to make it a 9-0 lead for the Red Sox.
In the bottom of the 4th, an RBI double from Kyle Tucker and a two run single from Yuli Gurriel got the Astros on the board, making it a 9-3 game. They would not score again until the 9th, when Gurriel hit a solo home run to left field, cutting the deficit to 9-4. Jason Castro followed that up with a solo home run of his own to make it 9-5, but they couldn't score any more runs.
Martinez said of the big win from the Red Sox that "It's huge. We came here, we were like, 'We've got to split. That's all we have to do.' Obviously, we would love to win both of them. I think that's a little wishful thinking against a team like this. So, to get the split here and to go back home with our fans, who have been unreal the entire postseason, it will be fun. It's exactly what we wanted."
Nathan Eovaldi got his first win of the postseason in his start, allowing 3 runs on 5 hits and one walk, striking out 3 hitters in 5 1/3 innings pitched to move to 1-0 this postseason. Adam Ottavino was able to finish off the 6th inning for Eovaldi, followed by two scoreless innings from Garrett Whitlock. Darwinzon Hernandez gave up the two runs in the 9th while only lasting 2/3 of an inning, needing Ryan Brasier to come on and close out the game.
Luis Garcia lasted just one inning in his start, being taken out after walking the leadoff hitter in the second inning with an injury. Garcia was responsible for 5 runs on two hits and 3 walks, getting hit with the loss, adding insult to injury. Jake Odorizzi came on and wasn't much more effective, allowing 4 runs on 7 hits across 4 innings pitched. Blake Taylor, Yimi Garcia, and Ryne Stanek pitched from that point on.
Gurriel said of the loss that "We’ve got to go to Boston and just put our best foot forward and try to do whatever we can to win games out there. We know we're going through a little bit of a tough stretch right now with the injuries that we've suffered to the pitching staff, but we got to do our job. We’ve got to go out there and try to put up as many runs as we can."
Game 3 of the series is on Monday night at Fenway Park, where Jose Urquidy starts as the Astros look to get back on track. Eduardo Rodriguez will start for the Red Sox as they look to keep the wins coming.
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