Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Red Sox Finish off Astros in 5 Games, Head to World Series
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 7 years ago on
October 19, 2018

Share

HOUSTON — What a birthday present for rookie manager Alex Cora. He’s taking the Boston Red Sox back to the World Series.
David Price put his postseason woes behind him, pitching the Red Sox past the defending champion Houston Astros 4-1 Thursday night in Game 5 of the AL Championship Series.
Next stop for the 108-win Red Sox is Fenway Park for the World Series opener Tuesday night against either the Los Angeles Dodgers or Milwaukee Brewers.
But before leaving Minute Maid Park, the Red Sox surrounded the 43-year-old Cora in the clubhouse and heartily sang “happy birthday!”Wearing goggles and championship gear, the team saluted the first manager from Puerto Rico to lead a team to the World Series:

Cora was hired a year ago as he prepared to go to the Series as Houston’s bench coach. He got the job a month after Hurricane Maria devastated his island homeland, and immediately went to work helping with relief efforts.
“I know right know for everything that we’re going through as a nation, as a country, for me to stand up here with this trophy, I know there’s a lot of people proud of me in Puerto Rico,” he said.

Los Angeles Has a 3-2 Lead in the NLCS

Rafael Devers hit a three-run homer as the Red Sox stunned Justin Verlander to win the best-of-seven set 4-1.

“We got four more wins. That was very, very special, absolutely. But we want more.” — David Price, Red Sox pitcher
ALCS MVP Jackie Bradley Jr. , outfielder Mookie Betts and the Red Sox will try to bring Boston its fourth crown in 15 years — this is their first trip since winning it all in 2013.
Los Angeles has a 3-2 lead in the NLCS going into Game 6 on Friday night at Miller Park.
“We got four more wins. That was very, very special, absolutely. But we want more,” Price said.
Pitching on only three days’ rest after Boston ace Chris Sale was ruled out while recovering from a stomach illness, Price struck out nine in six shutout innings of three-hit ball. The left-hander, who has had a rough time in Boston since signing a $217 million contract before the 2016 season, entered 0-9 with a 6.16 ERA in 11 career postseason starts.
Price was thrilled that he won’t be questioned anymore about not having a postseason win as a starter.
“That’s awesome,” he said. “I don’t have to prepare myself for it in spring training on Feb. 20 or September when I’ve still got five regular-season starts. I don’t have to answer that question anymore. And man, it feels good.”

After Dropping the Opener at Home, Boston Took Four Straight

Price was warming in the bullpen as Game 4 ended, perhaps jeopardizing his readiness for Thursday. Instead, that session may have keyed his dominant performance.
“It felt good. Honestly, it really started last night in the bullpen. Threw quite a few pitches to come in for the next hitter, found something out while doing that and kind of just carried that over to today,” Price said.
Price tipped his cap to a few hundred Red Sox fans assembled behind the Boston dugout while they cheered as he walked off the field following postgame interviews.
The only time thing that didn’t go smoothly for Price came when he brought 1-year-old son Xavier into the postgame news conference and the little one wouldn’t quit shrieking and wriggling away from him.
Price pulled him back onto his lap, repeating the words: “This is big, dude. This is big.”
After dropping the opener at home, Boston took four straight — including three in a row in Houston to improve to 5-0 on the road in these playoffs.
The Red Sox are the first team to win four straight postseason games against a 100-win club since the 2004 Red Sox against both the Yankees and Cardinals, STATS said.

The Red Sox Were Underdogs Against Houston

“Since Day One, we knew we had something special. We just needed to stay healthy and go out and execute,” Bradley said.

“Since Day One, we knew we had something special. We just needed to stay healthy and go out and execute.” — ALCS MVP Jackie Bradley Jr.
Left fielder Andrew Benintendi caught a long fly for the last out — not nearly as dramatic as his game-saving diving grab the previous night. Just the same, it capped off a win.
“The last out yesterday was like around 12:10. So we won two on my birthday. I’ll take it. I’ll take it,” Cora said.
There was a smattering of boos from the home crowd as the Red Sox charged onto the field, embracing as they jumped around near the middle of the diamond. They posed for a team picture on the mound a couple of minutes later as members of Houston’s pitching staff slowly walked by, glancing at the revelry on their way back from the bullpen.
“They beat us. We ran out of wins,” Astros manager AJ Hinch said .
Despite leading the majors in wins during the regular season, the Red Sox were underdogs against a Houston team that defeated the Dodgers in last year’s World Series and romped past Cleveland in the Division Series this month.
But stars Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa and the Astros hobbled to the finish in a humbling defeat. Still, no team has repeated as World Series champs since the New York Yankees won three straight from 1998-2000.

Dombrowski Is Taking His Third Organization to the World Series

Altuve, last year’s AL MVP, didn’t want to make excuses but said this was “absolutely” the worst pain he’s ever played with.
“I feel really, really bad for not being on the field for my team, but one thing you can know is that I gave everything I had, healthy, not healthy that was all I have,” he said still wearing his uniform long after the game had ended.
Red Sox slugger J.D. Martinez hit an early homer off Verlander, and Price made the lead stand up into the late innings. Craig Kimbrel worked the ninth for his third save of the series.
Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski is taking his third organization to the World Series. He won two championships as general manager of the Florida Marlins, then oversaw two pennants as GM of the Detroit Tigers. Dombrowski was hired by Boston in 2015.
It was the 14th pennant for the Red Sox, who are 8-4 in World Series appearances. They took the American League flag in 1904, but the World Series wasn’t played that year.
Boston ended an 86-year championship drought in 2004.

Houston’s Only Run Came on a Homer by Marwin Gonzalez

Verlander had pitched 24 scoreless innings over his previous three starts with his team facing postseason elimination, and he came in 4-1 with a 1.21 ERA in five potential elimination games during his career.
Houston’s only run came on a homer by Marwin Gonzalez in the seventh off Matt Barnes.
Devers connected in the sixth for a 4-0 lead.
Devers, who turns 22 on Wednesday, has 12 RBIs in 10 postseason games. He joined Mickey Mantle, Andruw Jones and Miguel Cabrera as the only players in major league history to have nine or more RBIs in the postseason at age 21 or younger.
UP NEXT:
Sale, who spent Sunday night in a hospital because of a stomach illness, has recovered and is set to start Game 1 of the World Series. Cora said Sale threw off flat ground on Thursday and was feeling better after he was unable to start on Wednesday because of the issue.

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

LA Dodgers Pledge $1 Million to Support Families Impacted by ICE Raids

DON'T MISS

Pakistan to Nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize

DON'T MISS

Vance, in Los Angeles, Says Troops Need to Stay, Blasts Newsom Over Immigration

DON'T MISS

Nuclear Diplomacy Stuck, Israel Says It Killed Top Iran Commander

DON'T MISS

Mahmoud Khalil Vows to Resume Pro-Palestinian Activism After Release From US Jail

DON'T MISS

Trump Says He Wants to Fund More Trade Schools. Just Not These.

DON'T MISS

Two Days of Terror: How the Minnesota Shooter Evaded Police and Got Caught

DON'T MISS

B-2 Bombers Moving to Guam Amid Middle East Tensions, US Officials Say

DON'T MISS

Israeli Strike on Tehran Kills Bodyguard of Slain Hezbollah Chief

DON'T MISS

Bentley the Porch-Crasher Pup Hopes for a Forever Home

UP NEXT

The Secret to Finding the Best Travel Bargains

UP NEXT

Amazon’s Prime Day 2025 Levels Up With Four Days of Deals Starting July 8

UP NEXT

The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Get a 400% Pay Raise

UP NEXT

It’s Final. No Live Horse Racing at Big Fresno Fair in 2025

UP NEXT

Buss Family to Sell Lakers at $10 Billion Valuation, ESPN Says

UP NEXT

LA Dodgers Say They Denied ICE Agents Access to Stadium Parking Lot

UP NEXT

Canseco, Cheechoo to Sign Autographs When Chukchansi Cuts Ribbon on Top Golf

UP NEXT

Buss Family to Sell Lakers, Report Says

UP NEXT

JJ Spaun Turns a Free Fall into US Open Title at Rainy Oakmont

UP NEXT

Giants Get Slugger Rafael Devers in Blockbuster Deal With Red Sox

Nuclear Diplomacy Stuck, Israel Says It Killed Top Iran Commander

36 minutes ago

Mahmoud Khalil Vows to Resume Pro-Palestinian Activism After Release From US Jail

44 minutes ago

Trump Says He Wants to Fund More Trade Schools. Just Not These.

46 minutes ago

Two Days of Terror: How the Minnesota Shooter Evaded Police and Got Caught

50 minutes ago

B-2 Bombers Moving to Guam Amid Middle East Tensions, US Officials Say

53 minutes ago

Israeli Strike on Tehran Kills Bodyguard of Slain Hezbollah Chief

55 minutes ago

Bentley the Porch-Crasher Pup Hopes for a Forever Home

5 hours ago

The Secret to Finding the Best Travel Bargains

7 hours ago

This Fresno Family Had Six Graduations, Ranging From Pre-K to High School

7 hours ago

Amazon’s Prime Day 2025 Levels Up With Four Days of Deals Starting July 8

7 hours ago

LA Dodgers Pledge $1 Million to Support Families Impacted by ICE Raids

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers have committed $1 million toward direct financial assistance for families of immigrants impacted...

25 minutes ago

Oct 24, 2024; Los Angeles, CA, USA; General view of the centerfield plaza during media prior to game one of the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images/File Photo
25 minutes ago

LA Dodgers Pledge $1 Million to Support Families Impacted by ICE Raids

President Donald Trump talks to reporters upon his arrival at Morristown Municipal Airport in Morristown, New Jersey, U.S., June 20, 2025. (Reuters File)
29 minutes ago

Pakistan to Nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize

U.S. Vice President JD Vance greets U.S. Marines at the Wilshire Federal Building in Los Angeles, California, U.S., June 20, 2025. (Reuters/Daniel Cole)
32 minutes ago

Vance, in Los Angeles, Says Troops Need to Stay, Blasts Newsom Over Immigration

A fragment falls through the sky after Israel's Iron Dome intercepted a missile launched from Iran towards Israel, amid the Iran-Israel conflict, as seen from Ashkelon, Israel June 20, 2025. REUTERS/Amir Cohen
36 minutes ago

Nuclear Diplomacy Stuck, Israel Says It Killed Top Iran Commander

Columbia University graduate Mahmoud Khalil speaks to media after being released from immigration custody in Jena, Louisiana, U.S. June 20, 2025. (Reuters/Kathleen Flynn)
44 minutes ago

Mahmoud Khalil Vows to Resume Pro-Palestinian Activism After Release From US Jail

Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Secretary of Labor, testifies during a House Appropriations Subcommittee on Capitol Hill, in Washington, May 15, 2025. The Job Corps program has long been the subject of debate, but it is now also a point of contention in the administration’s efforts to pull back the social safety net. (Al Drago/The New York Times)
46 minutes ago

Trump Says He Wants to Fund More Trade Schools. Just Not These.

Candles and flowers adorn a memorial outside the Minnesota State Capitol following the killing of Democratic state assemblywoman Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, in St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S., June 18, 2025. (Reuters/Tim Evans)
50 minutes ago

Two Days of Terror: How the Minnesota Shooter Evaded Police and Got Caught

A U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit bomber takes off from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam January 11, 2018. Picture taken January 11, 2018. (Reuters File)
53 minutes ago

B-2 Bombers Moving to Guam Amid Middle East Tensions, US Officials Say

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend