The Rundown: Red Sox Take Game 2 of ALCS, ‘Rookie of the Year’ Gets a Reboot, Machado Draws Shade for Lack of Hustle

Photo of Michael Canter Michael CanterOctober 15, 2018

David Price is still winless in his postseason career as a starter, but at least he didn’t get the loss last night as the Red Sox edged the Astros 7-5 to even up the ALCS at one game apiece. In what seemed like another game that might never end, the victory wasn’t in the bag until Alex Bregman flied out to Andrew Benintendi at the base of the left field wall in the top of the 9th with Jose Altuve on first. The game was completed in just under four hours.

Price, whose postseason struggles have been well documented, pitched better than his line indicated. He left with two outs and a man on in the 5th inning and was charged with four runs on five hits with four walks with four strikeouts. It was the first time in his career that his team won a game he started in the playoffs.

Jackie Bradley Jr. had the big hit for Boston, driving a three-run double off the Green Monster with the Red Sox down 4-2 in the 3d inning to give Boston a lead they never relinquished.

Astros starter Gerrit Cole, who was absolutely dominant in his previous start against the Indians, gave up a season-high five runs in six innings to take the loss.

Craig Kimbrel earned the save with a shaky 9th inning. Coming in with a 7-4 lead, the closer allowed the Astros to cut the lead to two and nearly gave up a game-tying homer to Bregman with two outs. Bradley said Benintendi told him that Bregman’s fly ball “came back (onto the field).”

The Red Sox and Astros will travel to Houston on Monday before resuming the series with Game 3 on Tuesday at Minute Maid Park. First pitch is scheduled for 4:09pm CT.

Playoff News & Notes

  • Despite hitting a home run in the third inning, Astros OF Marwin Gonzalez had a tough night.

Cubs News & Notes

Baseball America takes a look at the Cubs farm system and highlights the bright spots of 2018.

Jon Greenberg held a Cubs Roundtable over the weekend, asking staff writers Patrick Mooney, Sahadev Sharma, and Andy Dolan to weigh in on four topics. They discussed whether the Cubs’ young hitters have been overhyped and which moves the team should make to get back to playoff-winning baseball in 2019 (subscription required).

The Cubs are no strangers to controversy when it comes to hitting coaches.

MLB News & Notes

Yankees manager Aaron Boone made a number of rookie mistakes in the team’s divisional matchup with the Red Sox, some which may have cost his team the series.

The Cardinals will go into this offseason looking for an impact bat.

Sonny Gray could fill one of the empty holes in the White Sox 2019 rotation.

Rays coach Rocco Baldelli is a hot name for the six current managerial openings, and had already been connected with the Blue Jays, Rangers and Twins.

There were vague rumblings of a rift between Buck Showalter and Dan Duquette for years. Now that they’re both gone and don’t have to play nice publicly, Orioles fans are starting to see how bad it really was.

Extra Innings

20th Century Fox is in the early planning stages for a remake of the 1993 film Rookie of the Year. In the Daniel Stern-directed original, an accident gives a young Chicago boy the ability to throw 100 mph fastballs. The teenager is recruited by the Cubs in an effort to help win more games and bring in better crowds. He helps take his favorite team from last place to first place in two months and does a Pepsi commercial with Ray Charles along the way.

They Said It

  • “We won. That’s my first team win as a starter. If it’s baby steps it’s baby steps, but I’m very happy we won. All I want to do is win. I put myself aside. This isn’t about me. This is bigger than me. This is about the Boston Red Sox.” – David Price

Monday Walk Up Song

Too Busy Being Fabulous by the Eagles. I am going to see the band this evening and I will have a review of the concert somewhere online later this week.

Photo of Michael Canter Michael CanterOctober 15, 2018
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