Astros finally win at Fenway

The Astros finally got a win at Fenway Park. But it wasn’t easy. What started out as a pitcher’s duel between Dallas Keuchel and Clay Buchholz eventually turned into an extra-inning win for Houston.

Buchholz, who came into the game with an ERA of 1.08 in two career starts against Houston, continued his mastery of the Astros.  The Red Sox right-hander allowed two runs on seven hits in seven innings of work. He struck out nine. Jon Singleton looked helpless against him.

Keuchel was equally effective. The Astros lefty got twelve outs on ground balls and struck out eight in seven innings of work. Boston managed only six hits against Keuchel, a couple of which were questionable. One hit that definitely wasn’t a cheapy was a line drive homerun over the green monster off the bat of Yoenis Cespedes. The 2-run blast in the fourth inning got the scoring started.

The Astros staged a 2-out rally in the fifth. Robbie Grossman‘s single plated Jake Marisnick to make it a 2-1 ballgame. Grossman added a solo homerun with two outs in the seventh to tie the score at two. A wild pitch by Keuchel in the bottom half of the inning set the stage for a go-ahead single by Brock Holt.

The Astros came back to tie it up again in the eighth. With runners on first and second and two outs, Matt Dominguez hit a soft one-hopper to short. Instead of taking the easy out at first base, Xander Bogaerts tossed the ball to second — but Dexter Fowler slid in safely ahead of the force play. Gregorio Petit, who had entered the game to pinch run for Chris Carter at second base, never stopped running. He was caught in a pickle between third and home but managed to score when the Red Sox dropped the ball.

Jose Veras and Tony Sipp kept the Sox off the scoreboard the rest of the way. Jake Marisnick‘s tenth inning ground rule double down the rightfield line scored a pair of runs, breaking the Astros losing streak at Fenway. Luck seemed to be on the Astros sideat times in this ballgame. But, as usual, the effort was also there.

Sipp pitched the final 1 & 1/3 innings to earn his third win of the year. Grossman led the Astros attack with three hits. Marisnick, Fowler, and Carter chipped in with two hits apiece.

The win was the Astros 51st of the season, tying last year’s total. Bo Porter sends Brad Peacock (gulp) to the mound Saturday evening against the Red Sox and Rubby De La Rosa.