ON THIS DATE (June 10, 2021)
...
In a wild game, the Red Sox and Astros put
together one of the most entertaining battles of the season. With
23,378 fans making their presence known, the two teams traded
haymakers and strangeness.
The Red Sox also added some great outfield defense to the mix. Alex
Verdugo cut down Jose Altuve at second base, trying to stretch a
single into a double.
There were six lead changes in the contest. Yuli Gurriel bounced a
homer off the right field "Pesky" pole to give the Astros the first
lead. The Sox came back with three straight singles to tie things up
and then with the bases loaded, Zack Greinke, the Astros starter,
walked Kiki Hernandez, to put the Sox up 2-1, after two innings.
The Astros belted the ball of Eduardo Rodriguez and got two runs in
the top of the third, to get the lead back, 3-2.
J.D. Martinez then knocked a solo homer to left-center that tied the
game in the bottom of the third inning, before Christian Vazquez
provided the lead with an RBI single, that brought home Xander
Bogaerts, who had doubled, 4-3.
The Astros answered with by loading the bases in the top of the fifth
inning. A walk to Gurriel brought in one run and a bases clearing
double by Michael Tucker put them up 7-4.
No problem for the Sox in the bottom of the fifth, as Christian
Arroyo belted one onto Lansdowne Street, with two men on, to tie up
the game again. The tie didn't last long because in the Astros next
at bat, Jose Altuve blasted a homer with two outs to put Houston back
out front, 8-7.
Their lead lasted until the Sox came up in their half of the sixth. A
double, a dropped fly ball, and a free pass loaded the bases. Then
Astros reliever, Enoli Paredes, hit Christian Vazquez to bring in the
tying run and walked Arroyo to put the Sox up by one. Bobby Dalbec
next drilled a double off the Green Monster and the Sox were up 12 to
8 to stay.
Adam Ottavino, Josh Taylor and Matt Barnes kept the Astros in check
for three innings and ended to the most exciting game seen at Fenway
this season.
