Boston Red Sox Crush Houston Astros 17-1 in High-Scoring Affair
Game Recap: August 23, 2023
The Boston Red Sox erupted for 17 runs on Tuesday night, dismantling the Houston Astros 17-1 at Fenway Park. The victory marked the Red Sox's third straight win and moved them to within 2.5 games of the first-place New York Yankees in the AL East. The Red Sox jumped out to an early lead thanks to a three-run home run by Rafael Devers in the first inning. They added to their advantage with a two-run double by Xander Bogaerts in the second and a sacrifice fly by J.D. Martinez in the third. The Astros offense struggled to keep pace, managing just one run on six hits. Yordan Alvarez drove in the lone run for Houston with a single in the fourth inning.
Pitching Matchup
Red Sox: Nick Pivetta (5-9) earned the win, allowing one run on six hits over 6.1 innings. He struck out seven batters and walked two.
Astros: Luis Garcia (10-8) took the loss, giving up six runs on eight hits over 3.1 innings. He struck out four batters and walked three.
Offensive Standouts
* Rafael Devers (BOS): 3-for-5, HR, 3 RBI * Xander Bogaerts (BOS): 2-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI * J.D. Martinez (BOS): 1-for-4, RBI
Defensive Highlights
* Trevor Story (BOS) made a diving stop and throw to first base to rob Michael Brantley of a base hit in the second inning. * Kyle Tucker (HOU) made a leaping catch at the wall to rob Alex Verdugo of a home run in the fourth inning.
Key Stats
* The Red Sox's 17 runs were their most in a game since they scored 18 against the Baltimore Orioles on July 25. * Nick Pivetta's seven strikeouts were his most since he struck out eight on July 15. * Luis Garcia's 3.1 innings were his shortest outing of the season.
Expert Analysis
"The Red Sox offense was clicking on all cylinders tonight. Devers, Bogaerts, and Martinez all had big hits, and the team as a whole did a great job of putting the ball in play and making the Astros defense work. On the other side, Garcia just didn't have it tonight. He was missing his spots and leaving the ball up in the zone, and the Red Sox hitters took advantage." - ESPN analyst David Ortiz
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