ALCS Recap: Game 4
The first 3 games of the American League Championship Series were an absolute SLUGFEST, with the Red Sox hitting a MLB Record 3 Grandslams in a Postseason series. Both teams drove in a combined 38 runs entering today with (HOU) Zack Greinke & (BOS) Nick Pivetta being the starters slated to start tonight.
Innings 1-3
(Photo by Mary DeCicco/Getty Images)
The Astros got the scoring started in Game 4 with an Alex Bregman solo homerun vs Nick Pivetta. The Boston offense however strikes back the very next inning with a 2-run bomb off the bat of Xander Bogaerts.
Houston’s pitching once again doesn't give them length as Zack Greinke only goes 1 inning. After Greinke was pulled, Brooks Raley closed out the inning & Christian Javier was put in to try and close the gap & eat some innings for what now seems like a shaky Houston pitching staff.
Innings 4-6
(Photo by Mary DeCicco/Getty Images)
The most notable thing to happen after both teams scored in the 1st inning, came in the bottom of the 3rd when a 3-2 pitch was called a strike while the runner that was on 1st was stealing 2nd. The Astros argued with the umpires for an interference call but the base runner remained on 2nd.
As noted, neither side was able to get on the board again. Nick Pivetta only gave up 1 more hit after allowing a Bregman homerun. For most of the game, both teams were held to 3 hits and each team’s pitching excelled from the 2nd inning on. Christian Javier also excelled in this aspect coming in for Greinke & Raley to come in and pitch 3 shutout innings, allowing 0 earned.
Innings 7-9
(Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
JOSE ALTUVE!!!!! After being shutout for 6 straight innings, Jose Altuve TIES it in the Top of the 8th with a solo homerun off Reliever Garrett Whitlock to make the game 2-2. After the homerun to Altuve, Whitlock was able to finish the 8th inning and would hand it off to Nathan Eovaldi out of the pen.
Once Eovaldi was in the game, the Astros came alive with a leadoff double from Carlos Correa in the Top of the 9th which helped to immediately put pressure back on the Red Sox.
Eovaldi was able to strikeout the next batter in Kyle Tucker & then intentially walked Yuli Gurriel, prompting the Astros to sub the next batter (Chas McCormick) for Aledyms Diaz who was also struckout.
Then Jason Castro happened….originally subbed in for Martin Maldonado and was slated to face Eovaldi with 2 out in the inning. The Sox were 100% on the bad end of a missed strike 3 call by the homeplate umpire which would give the Astros another opportunity. That 2nd chance absolutely KILLED the Red Sox when Castro got a basehit into centerfield to score a run, making the game 3-2.
From there on, the flood gates opened for the Astros, Eovaldi was not able to get another out after the Castro hit, which then promoted Jose Altuve to get on base via walk. Eovaldi was then pulled from the game in favor of Martin Perez. One the very 1st pitch he saw from Perez, Michael Brantley hit a base clearing double, making the game 7-2 at this point.
Fenway was utterly shocked at what they just witness & Houston would later score another run on a Correa infield hit & error, making the game 8-2. Kyle Tucker would then hit a linedrive to 2nd that was fielded off the glove of Christian Arroyo and the throw was late to 1st to drive in ANOTHER Astros run. Eventually the nightmarish inning ended for Boston, but the score was now 9-2 Houston.
The Red Sox would then get 2 me on base in the bottom of the 9th inning but there was never a realistic chance for them to get back in this game & ended up with a Game 4 loss.
FINAL SCORE:
HOU 9 / BOS 2
Series Tied 2-2
Game 4 Analysis
For a majority of the game, both teams pitching staffs were phenomenal. Nick Pivetta continued to shine when given an opportunity, despite the amount of high leverage situations/games he’s pitching in with Boston. Houston’s bullpen played a big part coming in giving their offense a chance to get back into the game, despite only being down by 1 run after the 1st inning. The way this series has gone, you felt like if Boston’s pitching was on their “A-Game” that Houston would struggle scoring a tying run and for the most part that was true. Both Houston & Boston have great bullpen’s and really made each pitch feel like they mattered x10, because at any time the momentum could change.
This game was the ultimate nail biter heading into the Top of the 8th & then Jose Altuve hits a solo shot to tie it. After that, you got the sense that the Astros got a bit of life back in them. Carlos Correa is the man who started it all with a lead off double against Nathan Eovaldi who came out of the pen & nothing was the same afterwards. A pair of Eovaldi strikes out gave many the impression that this game had the potential for extras but a crucial strike 3 call that was missed gave the Astros a lifeline & eventually scored with runners on that inning. Upon Eovaldi being pulled from the game, Martin Perez did Boston no justice as the very first pitch he threw out of the pen allowed 3 runs to score on a bases clearing double by Michael Brantley. Kyle Tucker & Carlos Correa would also tack on for a couple of more runs which all but sealed the game…that is if the nail wasn’t in the already in the coffin at that stage of the game.
Players of The Game
(HOU) Carlos Correa: 2-5
(HOU) Michael Brantley: 2-5 | 3 RBI
(HOU) Alex Bregman: 1-4 | 1 RBI | 1 HR
(HOU) Jose Altuve: 1-4 | 1 RBI | 1 HR
(HOU) Jason Castro: 1-1 | 1 RBI