Red Sox miss tag, lose to Astros 5-3 in 10 innings
BOSTON — The Boston Red Sox lost two leads, two challenges and eventually the game.
Houston ended Boston’s four-game winning streak by rallying past the Red Sox 5-3 in 10 innings on Friday night, giving the Astros their first victory at Fenway Park.
The Red Sox nearly got out of a jam in the 10th with two quick outs after Houston loaded the bases to start the inning, but Jake Marisnick came through with a blooper down the right-field line for a pair of RBIs.
“You can’t defend a bloop double down the line,” Boston manager John Farrell said. “It looks like we’ve got a chance to get out of it and Marisnick dumps a double just inside the line for the difference.”
It was a deflating loss for the Red Sox, who couldn’t hang onto a 3-2 lead with two outs in the eighth. Astros pinch-runner Gregorio Petit came all the way around from second base on a fielder’s choice. Dexter Fowler slid safely into second as shortstop Xander Bogaerts’ throw reached Dustin Pedroia, who saw Petit had rounded third and fired a strike to Christian Vazquez at the plate.“You can’t defend a bloop double down the line,” Boston manager John Farrell said. “It looks like we’ve got a chance to get out of it and Marisnick dumps a double just inside the line for the difference.”
It was a deflating loss for the Red Sox, who couldn’t hang onto a 3-2 lead with two outs in the eighth. Astros pinch-runner Gregorio Petit came all the way around from second base on a fielder’s choice. Dexter Fowler slid safely into second as shortstop Xander Bogaerts’ throw reached Dustin Pedroia, who saw Petit had rounded third and fired a strike to Christian Vazquez at the plate.
“I think Pedey makes a heads-up play even after the safe sign is called,” Farrell said.
Petit sidestepped out of range for Vazquez to tag him and lunged toward home, getting a hand safely on the plate as reliever Burke Badenhop dropped the throw from Vazquez. The Red Sox challenged the play at home, anyway, as well as the call at second.
Both were upheld.
Farrell said the Red Sox made good defensive plays, starting with Bogaerts fielding a tough hop, but the Astros earned the run with hustle.
