The Matt Thomas Show

The Matt Thomas Show

"The Matt Thomas Show" airs noon-3 p.m. daily on SportsTalk790 (790 AM and 94.5-2 HD) with in-depth analysis on Houston sports including the Astros...Full Bio

 

Astros Handle the Red Sox in ALCS Game 1, 7-2

BOSTON — With temperatures dipping into the 40s, numbing their fingertips as they tried to grip the baseball, Justin Verlander and Chris Sale both struggled to get the ball over the plate.

Verlander recovered quickly.

Sale never did.

After walking in one run and giving up the tying score on a wild pitch, Verlander struck out Andrew Benintendi on a contested called third strike, and the Houston Astros pulled away to beat the Boston Red Sox 7-2 on Saturday night in the AL Championship Series opener.

The teams combined for just eight hits, but Red Sox pitchers walked 10 and hit three batters. Verlander walked four — tying a career postseason high, and more than he had in any outing in the regular season this year. Three of them and one of his two wild pitches came in a fifth inning that almost chased him from the game.

"That inning I had kind of lost my feel a bit. Couldn't point a finger to why," Verlander said. "The tying run scoring was a little disappointing. ... But once that happens, then you've got to reset and not relinquish the lead."

Verlander pitched six innings of two-hit ball, and Carlos Correa fisted a single into left field to break a sixth-inning tie. Josh Reddick hit a solo homer to lead off the ninth, and Yuli Gurriel curled a three-run shot into the front row beyond the Pesky Pole to give the defending World Series champions their fifth straight postseason victory.

Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is Sunday night, with Boston left-hander David Price trying to end his postseason skid against Astros righty Gerrit Cole. Cora has expressed confidence in Price, a Cy Young Award winner who is 0-9 in 10 postseason starts, and the 108-win Red Sox will need him to be better than Sale was in the opener.

Hear all of the action on your home for Astros baseball, SportsTalk790. Matt Thomas & Michael Connor host extended pregame coverage for Game 2 starting at 3:30p Sunday. 


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