The Astros and Red Sox play Game 2 of their American League Championship Series at Minute Maid Park, which is underway. Follow along here each game for breaking news, live updates and analysis from our team of writers.
Nathan Eovaldi exits
6:12 p.m. — Nathan Eovaldi is the first starter to pitch into the sixth inning against the Astros this postseason. He was on his third trip through the order when Yordan Alvarez knocked a one-out single 116.3 mph off the bat to bring Red Sox manager Alex Cora out of the dugout. Pulling Eovaldi was the prudent decision since Astros hitters tend to destroy pitchers they see for a third time. Adam Ottavino took over and struck out Carlos Correa before Kyle Tucker lined a two-out single into center field to put runners on the corners for Yuli Gurriel. After Tucker stole second base, the AL batting champ grounded out to strand two men in scoring position. — Danielle Lerner
Some relief
5:56 p.m. — Lefty reliever Blake Taylor, one of the Astros’ additions to the ALCS roster along with Odorizzi, entered in the sixth inning to face the top of the Red Sox order, which includes two left-handed hitters. Taylor retired the side in order on 14 pitches, including back-to-back strikeouts of left-handed hitter Kyle Schwarber and right-handed hitter Kiké Hernandez. — Danielle Lerner
A comeback story
5:43 p.m. — For those wondering, the biggest comeback in postseason history came in Game 4 of the 1929 World Series, when the Philadelphia A’s overcame an 8-0 deficit by scoring 10 runs in the bottom of the seventh inning and beating the Chicago Cubs 10-8.
Hall of Fame outfielder Hack Wilson contributed to the Cubs’ unraveling by losing a ball in the sun when the score was 8-4. With the roof closed at Minute Maid Park, the Astros won’t get such a break against the Red Sox if they’re to make it all the way back from their 9-0 (now 9-3) hole. — Steve Schaeffer
Taking one for the team
5:41 p.m. — Jake Odorizzi’s day is likely done after he finished the fifth inning at 82 pitches. He effectively fell on the sword for the Astros after Luis Garcia’s disastrous start. One of the runs Odorizzi gave up on the second-inning grand slam was charged to Garcia, so Odorizzi yielded seven hits, four earned runs and two home runs across four innings with five strikeouts. His stats won’t look pretty, but he ate valuable innings to save the Astros from going to the bullpen again in the first half of the game. — Danielle Lerner
No shutout today
5:25 p.m. — The Astros won’t be shut out after all. They put a runner in scoring position for the first time today in the bottom of the fourth inning via Yordan Alvarez’s two-out walk and Carlos Correa’s single. Kyle Tucker rewarded their effort with an RBI double off the left-field wall. Yuli Gurriel drove in two more runs with a sharply hit single down the right-field line. Just like that, the Astros’ deficit is 9-3, a third of what it once was. — Danielle Lerner
Adding to his lore
5:13 p.m. — With his fourth-inning home run, Kiké (more like King Kong) Hernandez has nine extra-base hits in these playoffs, tying a Red Sox record for a single postseason. He follows David Ortiz (2004 and 2007), Mike Lowell (2007) and Kevin Youkilis (2007). A good omen for the Red Sox: They won the World Series in those previous seasons. — Steve Schaeffer
Another homer
5:03 p.m. — Red Sox center fielder Kiké Hernandez continues to brutalize his former team. He tacks on another run with a fourth-inning solo home run off Jake Odorizzi. Hey, at least it wasn’t another grand slam. The Astros trail 9-0. — Danielle Lerner
In event of injury ...
4:45 p.m. — As a contingency for injuries, each team has a nine-man postseason taxi squad it can turn to if a player is unable to continue in a series. Should the Astros need to replace Luis Garcia — who would then be ineligible for the World Series — they have three options: Bryan Abreu, Brandon Bielak and Peter Solomon, all righthanders. Lance McCullers Jr. is also on the taxi squad but will not be pitching in the ALCS. (The other five players on the taxi squad are catchers Garrett Stubbs and Michael Papierski and infielders Marwin Gonzalez, Taylor Jones and Jeremy Pena.) — Steve Schaeffer
Pitching plans in disarray
4:37 p.m. — It's hard to see how the Astros are going to piece this game together. Jake Odorizzi hasn't thrown more than 82 pitches since Sept. 7. He needed 30 to finish the second inning on Saturday — his first appearance in 14 days. Odorizzi will have to wear this and give the Astros as much length as he can. Houston probably has to save Zack Greinke for a potential start in Game 4, or it could bring Framber Valdez back on short rest. Valdez threw just 64 pitches in Game 1. — Chandler Rome
As bad as it gets
You get a grand slam!
And you get a grand slam!
And you get a grand slam!
OK. There have only been two four-run home runs for Boston in two innings. But Game 2 might already be over for the home team.
Normally, things fall apart for the Astros in the latter innings. As of 4:28 p.m. Saturday, the Red Sox had five hits, eight runs and a huge 8-0 lead.
Have I seen a worse October start by the Astros?
I don't think so.
Factor in Lance McCullers Jr.'s absence, Luis Garcia's early departure and the fact that the next three games are at Fenway Park, and there's a pretty decent chance that this ALCS will be tied at 1-1 entering Game 3.
But who knows?
Crazier things have happened in playoff baseball. Maybe. — Brian T. Smith
Slam dance, part II
4:32 p.m. — The Red Sox are the first team in MLB postseason history to hit two grand slams in one game. It took Jake Odorizzi nearly 15 minutes to warm up and only 15 pitches to give up a second grand slam. Odorizzi inherited one runner from Luis Garcia, gave up two singles and got one strikeout before Rafael Devers launched a 1-1 pitch into the stratosphere in right field. Odorizzi faced three more batters and reached 30 pitches before he got out of the inning. — Danielle Lerner
Luis Garcia's early exit
4:11 p.m. — Luis Garcia exited the game with an apparent injury after walking the leadoff batter in the second inning. The Astros were attempting to save Jake Odorizzi to start Game 4 in Boston, but are now forced to hand him the baseball just three outs into the game, which figures to be another extremely taxing day for the bullpen. Dusty Baker’s options in this spot are limited. Cristian Javier threw 28 pitches while covering two innings last night. Zack Greinke is not stretched out beyond 40, maybe 50, pitches. Looking ahead, Garcia’s outlook is troubling. If he is removed from the ALCS roster with an injury, he would be ineligible to pitch for the Astros in the World Series. And the Astros are already working around Lance McCullers Jr.’s forearm injury. Any way you slice it, Garcia’s poor start today spells disaster. — Danielle Lerner
Early observations
4:09 p.m. — A few early observations during Game 2 while the Astros turn to another pitcher after just three outs and four big Boston runs.
• Something was off with Luis Garcia at the start of the first inning. He danced around the strike zone and was hammered by the Red Sox when contact was made. At the start of the second, Garcia walked the next batter he faced. Then there was an impromptu mound conference, which was followed by a point toward the dugout, Dusty Baker and Brent Strom heading to the mound, and eventually a motion toward the Astros' bullpen.
• J.D. Martinez and Kiké Hernández have already gotten the Astros back for the team's front-office misses in 2014. Martinez, who was released by the rebuilding Astros in '14, made it 4-0 Boston in the first with a grand slam that was 20 minutes in the making. Hernández was Ted Williams-esque in Game 1 and, like Martinez, was forced to move on from the Astros in 2014.
• These games are taking forever. Game 2 has almost lasted an hour already and there are no outs in the top of the second. Somewhere, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred is bored and checking his watch. — Brian T. Smith
Nate and the Bambino
4:01 p.m. — As a rule, it’s good to be in the company of Babe Ruth, even when it comes to pitching. Red Sox starter Nate Eovaldi entered today’s game with a career 1.93 ERA in 32.2 postseason innings for Boston. Among Red Sox pitchers with at least 25 postseason innings, Eovaldi’s ERA, now at 1.87 after his scoreless first, was bested only by Ruth (0.87 in 31 innings), Jonathan Papelbon (1.00 in 27 innings) and Ruth contemporary Ernie Shore (1.82 in 34.1 innings). — Steve Schaeffer
Grand start for Red Sox
3:42 p.m. — A disastrous start for Luis Garcia and the Astros. Garcia allowed all three lefthanded hitters he faced in the first inning to reach base — two via walk — before allowing a grand slam to J.D. Martinez. Garcia threw only 14 of his 29 pitches for strikes and set up another long afternoon for Houston's bullpen. — Chandler Rome
Luis Garcia vs. lefties
3:10 p.m. — Luis Garcia has been a liability against lefthanded hitters this season. Few lineups will test him more than Boston's. Garcia allows a .474 slugging percentage and .814 OPS to lefthanded hitters. As a result, Red Sox manager Alex Cora moved Kyle Schwarber into the leadoff spot and is still hitting Rafael Devers third. Sandwiching those two lefties scheduled to see him in the first? Kiké Hernandez, who enters this game with 13 hits in his last four games. — Chandler Rome
McCullers speaks about injury
2:06 p.m. — Astros starter Lance McCullers Jr. spoke about his injury that's keeping him out of the ALCS and didn't say when he'd be able to throw a baseball again. — Chandler Rome
Red Sox shuffle lineup
1:25 p.m. — With the Astros starting righthander Luis Garcia in Game 2, the Red Sox shuffled their order to go L-R-L-R-L-R at the top:
1. Kyle Schwarber 1B
2. Kike Hernandez CF
3. Rafael Devers 3B
4. Xander Bogaerts SS
5. Alex Verdugo LF
6. J.D. Martinez DH
7. Hunter Renfroe RF
8. Kevin Plawecki C
9. Christian Arroyo 2B
Nate Eovaldi RHP
— Steve Schaeffer
Odorizzi in line for Game 4
11:43 a.m. — Though he didn’t announce it outright, Dusty Baker made it sound like Jake Odorizzi is the leading candidate to start Game 4 of the ALCS. Baker said the Astros wanted to stay away from Odorizzi during Game 1 and are eyeing to use him “when we get to Boston.” — Chandler Rome
Game 3 starter
11:36 a.m. — José Urquidy will start Game 3 of the American League Championship Series on Monday at Fenway Park, manager Dusty Baker said. — Chandler Rome
Astros lineup
11:19 a.m. — For Game 2, same batting order as Game 1:
1. Jose Altuve, 2B
2. Michael Brantley, LF
3. Alex Bregman, 3B
4. Yordan Alvarez, DH
5. Carlos Correa, SS
6. Kyle Tucker, RF
7. Yuli Gurriel, 1B
8. Chas McCormick, CF
9. Martín Maldonado, C
Luis Garcia RHP
— Chandler Rome
Game 1: Astros 5, Red Sox 4
October is Carlos Correa’s time. He morphs from mortal to man possessed, an opponent’s worst dream and Houston’s habitual hero. His highlights are historic, a hodgepodge of bat flips and staredowns into a dugout he’s turned delirious. His confidence can’t be contained. Correa craves the spotlight. Somehow, he continues to steal it. Read more about the Astros' Game 1 win here.
• Carlos Correa offers another iconic moment in a career full of them.
• Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa come through again, writes Brian T. Smith.
• Cristian Javier's stellar relief gives the Astros a chance.
• Five key moments from the Game 1 victory.
• Former Astro Kiké Hernández does a little bit of everything for the Red Sox.
• The injured Lance McCullers Jr. is dropped from the Astros' ALCS roster.
• The Astros are tested again with Lance McCullers Jr.'s injury
• After an ALDS exclusion, Jake Odorizzi is on the Astros' roster for this round.
• Luis Garcia and Nathan Eovaldi will get the Game 2 starts.
• J.D. Martinez, once unceremoniously dumped by the Astros, faces his former team again.
Previewing the series
• How the Astros' pitching shapes up minus Lance McCullers Jr., whose status is uncertain.
• There's no moral high ground for the Astros or Red Sox in this series, writes Brian T. Smith
• A championship as a manager is all Dusty Baker's baseball résumé is missing, says Jerome Solomon.
• Yordan Alvarez gives the Astros a key bat they missed in last year's ALCS.
• With offenses like Houston's and Boston's, the ALCS could see runs galore.
• In baseball's spying days, the Astros and Red Sox were at the center of controversy.
• The ALCS is another reunion for the Astros and Red Sox manager Alex Cora.
• How the teams match up against each other.
• Looking back at this year's Astros-Red Sox regular-season series.
• The Red Sox decide to go with veteran Chris Sale as their Game 1 starter
• Red Sox Game 2 starter Nathan Eovaldi, an Alvin native, has no love lost for the Astros.
• An interactive look at the Astros' history in the ALCS and NLCS.
For much more on the series, go to our Astros page.
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