Bregman, Alvarez homer in 1st inning main Astros over Red Sox 6-2

BOSTON — Alex Bregman and Yordan Alvarez hit back-to-back homer runs within the first inning and the Houston Astros continued their late-August surge with a 6-2 win over the Red Sox on Tuesday night time.

Mauricio Dubón added a two-run double within the sixth for the Astros, who saved tempo in a good race for the AL West after coming into the night time one sport behind division-leading Seattle.

“It was huge just to come out and get some runs on the board,” mentioned Bregman, who additionally had an RBI single within the fifth.

The Astros opened a 3 1/2-game lead over Toronto for the ultimate AL wild card spot and are 1 share level behind Texas, which is second.

Since dropping three straight final week, together with a pair of losses to the Red Sox in Houston, the defending World Series champion Astros have slugged their option to 4 straight wins, scoring 45 runs in the course of the streak.

“It’s awesome what we’re doing. Bats are coming alive. The starters, bullpen – everybody’s doing their job right now and it’s all coming together,” mentioned J.P. France, who acquired his tenth win of the season lower than every week after getting shelled by the Red Sox throughout a 17-1 loss at Houston.

PHOTOS: Bregman, Alvarez homer in 1st inning main Astros over Red Sox 6-2

France (10-5) pitched 5 2/3 innings, holding Boston to 2 runs on 5 hits with one stroll and three strikeouts.

Adam Duvall homered for Boston, which has misplaced 4 of 5 and fell one step nearer to being knocked out of playoff competition with 29 video games remaining.

Brayan Bello (10-8) pitched 4 2/3 innings, permitting three runs – two of them earned – on 4 hits with two walks and two strikeouts. He acquired caught with an unearned run within the fifth after a fielding error by Rafael Devers at third base helped arrange Bregman’s RBI single that pushed Houston’s result in 3-1.

“After the first inning he was good. We just didn’t make plays behind him,” Boston supervisor Alex Cora mentioned. ”We put ourselves in a nasty spot not making performs.”

Bello steadied himself after a tough begin within the first, when after hanging out Jose Altuve, Bregman and Alvarez hit back-to-back homers that put the Astros up 2-0.

Bregman drove a 2-1 sinker from Bello out to left-center for his twenty second homer and had barely made it again to the dugout earlier than Alvarez hit a line drive simply inside Pesky’s Pole in proper for his twenty third.

“Most of them go foul down there but it didn’t have time to go foul,” Houston supervisor Dusty Baker mentioned.

ROOKIE REDEMPTION

France, who made his big-league debut in May, was dealing with the Red Sox for the second time in lower than every week and fared a lot better in Boston. France was additionally the starter final Friday, when he lasted simply 2 1/3 innings and allowed 10 runs on 11 hits.

“He got his 10th win. That’s pretty good for a guy that you didn’t really count on,” Baker mentioned. “So he’s been our surprise guy. He goes about his business and serious about it, but calm and collected. That’s what you like to see out of young players.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Astros: Reinstated OF Michael Brantley from the 60-day injured listing and began him in left area. Brantley, a five-time All-Star, hadn’t performed in a sport since June 2022 and had been recovering from surgical procedure on his proper shoulder. Brantley batted sixth and went 0-for-4. … The Astros optioned OF Corey Julks to Triple-A Sugar Land and designated RHP Jake Cousins for project.

Red Sox: Announced OF Jarren Duran will miss the rest of the season following surgical procedure for a toe damage. Manager Alex Cora mentioned he expects Duran to be prepared for spring coaching.

UP NEXT

Astros RHP Framber Valdez (9-9, 3.40 ERA) begins the sequence finale Wednesday afternoon. The Red Sox had but to call a starter for the sport, which is the Red Sox’s final at house till Baltimore visits on Sept. 8.