Red Sox beat Astros in Game 4 of ALCS, on brink of World Series

HOUSTON — After a long, dizzying game full of lead reversals, replay reviews, big hits, big homers, and seemingly constant pitching changes, the Boston Red Sox outlasted the Houston Astros to take an 8-6 win in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series and a 3-1 lead. The Red Sox are one win from returning to the World Series for the first time since 2013. 

Boston struck first, scoring two runs on a Rafael Devers single in the opening inning to grab an early lead against Astros starter Charlie Morton.

The Astros thought they had the game tied up in the bottom of the second, when Jose Altuve drove a ball deep to right field that appeared ticketed for the grandstand. But though Mookie Betts could not make a leaping grab on the fly, umpires ruled that a fan in the front row interfered with Betts and called Altuve out. A replay review did not present enough evidence to overturn the call.

Houston’s offense would not be held down long. A Josh Reddick double followed by a Carlos Correa single in the bottom of the second cut the Red Sox’ lead to one run. Boston would pad its advantage with one in the top of the third on a pair of doubles by Andrew Benintendi and Xander Bogaerts, but the Astros tied it up in the bottom of the inning on a George Springer solo homer and an RBI single by Reddick.

A Tony Kemp homer gave Houston the lead in the bottom of the fourth, but the combination of Benintendi and Bogaerts gave the Red Sox another run in the top of the fifth to tie the game again. Boston tallied an insurance run in the seventh on a single and three walks.

The Astros threatened in the bottom of the seventh, but Red Sox reliever Matt Barnes froze pinch-hitter Tyler White with a two-strike curveball on the outside corner to strand runners on second and third.

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Turning point

For the third straight game, Bradley had the biggest hit in his team’s win. After his three-run double put the Sox ahead in Game 2 and his grand slam ended the Astros’ comeback hopes in Game 3, Bradley notched perhaps his most dramatic hit yet in the series with his sixth-inning blast on Wednesday. The 385-foot shot gave Bradley nine RBI through four games of the ALCS.

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