HOUSTON — The Boston Red Sox saw their Cinderella run come to an end on Friday night as they fell to the Houston Astros, 5-0, in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series. The loss eliminates Boston from the postseason and sends them back home for the winter.
The Astros, meanwhile, will return to the World Series for the third time in five seasons. Houston won the Fall Classic in 2017 over the Los Angeles Dodgers – who will try to repeat as champions if they can overcome the Atlanta Braves in the NLCS – before falling to the Washington Nationals in the 2019 World Series.
For the Red Sox, their undoing was similar to that of Game 5: Houston designated hitter Yordan Alvarez. The cleanup hitter was true to his role in Game 6, stroking an RBI double to deep center in the first inning for the game’s first – and winning – run. He also came around to score in the sixth inning to push the lead to 2-0 after a leadoff triple.
When the game was over, Alvarez was named the ALCS MVP.
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Boston’s bats largely fell silent for the third straight contest as the Sox mustered no runs on just two hits. It was a far cry from Game 2 and Game 3, where Boston tallied nine and 12 runs, respectively.
Much like Game 5, it was the Astros’ starter who kept the Boston offense at bay for most of the contest. And while Framber Valdez turned in an 8-inning gem on Wednesday, RHP Luis Garcia went 5.2 innings while surrendering just one hit in Friday’s outing.
The lone blemish on his record was a two-out triple by Kiké Hernandez in the sixth, which was promptly erased on a next-pitch pop out by Rafael Devers.
Opposingly, Nathan Eovaldi turned in a solid performance for the Red Sox that went unsupported by the offense. The hard throwing righty ended the day with this final line: 4.1 IP, 1 ER, 5 H, 1 BB and 4 K.
The true dagger for Boston came in the top of the seventh with one out. With JD Martinez at third and Alex Verdugo at first, Travis Shaw dug in as the pinch hitter. Facing a full count, Shaw struck out on a four-seam fastball as Verdugo darted for second base. Houston catcher Martín Maldonado immediately sprung up and hurled the ball to second in time to cut Verdugo down and end the threat.
The strike-’em-out-throw-’em-out ended what was Boston’s best chance to score in the tight contest and all but ended their season. The final nail in the coffin was a 3-run home run by Kyle Tucker in the bottom of the eighth to push the score to 5-0.
The Sox captured the city’s attention and hearts once again this October despite falling two wins short of the pennant. Their back-from-the-dead end of the season saw them clinch a postseason spot on the final day of the regular season, eliminate the rival Yankees at a raucous Wild Card Game, and beat a Tampa Bay Rays team that was the best squad in the AL.
>>>PREVIOUS: Red Sox rely on Eovaldi in Game 6 with ALCS on the line
Despite expectations for a rebuilding year headed into the season, the Red Sox proved many pundits and doubters wrong with their hot first half. And while they cooled and floated in and out of playoff contention following the All-Star break, their wild run to the late stages of the ALCS kept them firmly in the forefront of New Englanders’ minds and hearts through late October.
For now, it’s ‘wait ‘till next year’ for Red Sox fans. But the memories of a seemingly out-of-nowhere pennant chase will warm many a frozen soul in New England in the months to come as they wait for hope springs eternal once again and an Opening Day that in 2022 won’t just bring promise – but expectation.
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>>>GALLERY: Red Sox take on Astros at Fenway in 2021 ALCS
Live Updates:
11:40 p.m.: Xander Bogaerts flies out to left and that’s it for the ALCS as the Sox fall 5-0 in Game 6 and see their season come to an end.
The #RedSox Cinderella run came to an end Friday as they were eliminated with a loss to the Houston #Astros in #ALCS #Game6. The Sox captured the city's attention and hearts once again this #October despite falling 2 wins short of the pennant.
— Boston 25 News (@boston25) October 23, 2021
STORY: https://t.co/ntZGOhRSqJ pic.twitter.com/9U7IxGm4wi
11:25 p.m.: Kyle Tucker makes it 5-0 with what looks to be the dagger, a 3-run homer to LF in the bottom of the eighth.
That should do it. Kyle Tucker croaks a 3-run homer into the Crawford boxes to make it 5-0 Houston in the 8th.
— Dave Souza (@dsouza4717) October 23, 2021
KING TUCK!! @astros lead 5-0!
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 23, 2021
Houston can taste the World Series! pic.twitter.com/pLyJPQVrXj
10:45 p.m.: The Red Sox, with runners on the corners and 1 out, still trailed by a pair of runs in the seventh and had their best chance to get on the board. What happened instead was a seismic shift in momentum the other way as Travis Shaw struck out and Alex Verdugo was promptly thrown out at second base to end the threat in the blink of an eye. 2-0 Houston still.
A strike em out, throw em out gets Shaw at home and Verdugo at second and the Astros out of the inning. I know it's close still...but that might be your dagger. 2-0 Houston headed to B7.
— Dave Souza (@dsouza4717) October 23, 2021
STRIKE'EM OUT THROW'EM OUT!!!
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 23, 2021
What a play for the @astros!! pic.twitter.com/BRwYJVWGBa
10:22 p.m.: A line drive to first base is knocked down by Kyle Schwarber, who gets two outs but can’t get the third at home as Alvarez scores from third to make it 2-0 Houston.
Alvarez smartly comes home on a sharp liner to 1B that Schwarber turns into 2 outs. Bases empty with 2 outs, but it's 2-0 Astros now
— Dave Souza (@dsouza4717) October 23, 2021
Heads up base running by Yordan Álvarez to score on this hard hit ball to 1st!@astros lead 2-0! pic.twitter.com/gYFcrpQvTe
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 23, 2021
10:15 p.m.: Alvarez gets Boston again, destroying a leadoff triple to a vacant right field to open the bottom of the sixth and chasing Josh Taylor. Tanner Houck in to pitch now for the Red Sox.
Are you serious??
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 23, 2021
Yordan with a lead off TRIPLE! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/u4pDhXggG2
10:07 p.m.: Devers pops out on the first pitch he sees, stranding Hernandez on third and keeping the Red Sox off the board going into the bottom of the inning. 1-0 Houston still as Garcia’s day ends after 5.2 IP. He allowed just one hit, walked one, and struck out seven.
Aaaaaaaaand it barely matters. Devers pops out on the first pitch of the at-bat. To B6 now, 1-0 Houston still
— Dave Souza (@dsouza4717) October 23, 2021
Luis Garcia exits the game after giving up 1 hit through 5.2 IP pic.twitter.com/wU4Z0YFuAa
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 23, 2021
10:04 p.m.: Sox get their first hit of the day on a triple by Kiké Hernandez. Garcia out of the game now with 2 outs in the top of the sixth.
Kiké Hernandez ropes a triple to deep left-center, the first hit of the game for Boston. Garcia now exits with 2 outs in the T6.
— Dave Souza (@dsouza4717) October 23, 2021
The first hit of the game for the @RedSox belongs to Kiké Hernández!
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 23, 2021
He JUST missed a HR to tie this game. pic.twitter.com/X8UYdsXXp6
9:50 p.m.: Taylor gets the final two outs of the fifth and Eovaldi’s final line reads: 4.1 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K.
Eovaldi’s final line reads: 4.1 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
— Dave Souza (@dsouza4717) October 23, 2021
9:45 p.m.: Nate Eovaldi departs the contest after 4.1 IP. He’s surrendered one earned run, though the runner at first is his responsibility as Josh Taylor comes in to face Michael Brantley.
Nathan Eovaldi's night is done after allowing just 1 run in 4.1 IP. pic.twitter.com/qmoOb2ek63
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 23, 2021
9:40 p.m.: Red Sox offense doesn’t do anything with the Eovaldi momentum in the top of the fifth, get sat down 1-2-3 by Garcia once again.
9:30 p.m.: Nate Eovaldi strands the bases loaded in the fourth after two runners reached scoring position with no one out. We head to the fifth with Houston still leading, but just 1-0.
Nathan Eovaldi gets out of the inning 🔥 pic.twitter.com/LSd4H1ncby
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 23, 2021
Nat Eovaldi keeps the Sox in it near the midway point, magically yielding no runs and striking out the side despite having a pair of runners in scoring position with no one out. To T5 we go, 1-0 Houston
— Dave Souza (@dsouza4717) October 23, 2021
9:10 p.m.: The Red Sox are being no-hit through four innings in Houston as Luis Garcia has racked up four strikeouts thus far.
Luis Garcia looking good through 4 💪 pic.twitter.com/JgL3nCHAxX
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 23, 2021
8:30 p.m.: Alvarez strokes an RBI double to deep center to put the Astros up, 1-0. Hernandez had a chance to catch the flyball and escape the inning, but the ball kicked off the heel of his glove, allowing Bregman to come home.
Alvarez drives a double to deep center that kicks off the heel of Kiké Hernandez's glove and brings Bregman in to score. 1-0 Astros B1
— Dave Souza (@dsouza4717) October 23, 2021
Yordan gets the @astros on the board first!! #ForTheH pic.twitter.com/hw7TKgKrTa
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 23, 2021
8:15 p.m.: Jose Altuve makes a diving stop in the shift to steal a hit away from Kiké Hernandez in the top of the first.
What a play by Jose Altuve 👏 pic.twitter.com/HE54AkmbCi
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 23, 2021
6 p.m.: Warmups are under way for the Red Sox ahead of Game 6.
SCENE SETTER in #Houston pregame for GM 6 #ALCS2021 We are live on @boston25 @Bos25Sports #redsox taking infield @ocktalks @Chad_Amaral pic.twitter.com/hFjKIGcFFF
— Butch Stearns (@ButchStearns) October 22, 2021
Warm ups and stretching for #redsox before GM 6 #ALCS @redsox We are live in Houston right now on @boston25 @bos25sports @ocktalks pic.twitter.com/S6h258QwBF
— Butch Stearns (@ButchStearns) October 22, 2021
5 p.m.: The lineups are set ahead of a do-or-die Game 6 in the ALCS for the Red Sox. Here’s who they’ll roll out:
- Kyle Schwarber, 1B
- Kiké Hernandez, CF
- Rafael Devers, 3B
- Xander Bogaerts, SS
- J.D. Martinez, DH
- Alex Verdugo, LF
- Christian Arroyo, 2B
- Hunter Renfroe, RF
- Kevin Plawecki, C
All lined up in Houston. pic.twitter.com/J5hyBpLylV
— Red Sox (@RedSox) October 22, 2021
And here’s how Houston will set their lineup for Game 6:
- Jose Altuve, 2B
- Michael Brantley, LF
- Alex Bregman, 3B
- Yordan Alvarez, DH
- Carlos Correa, SS
- Kyle Tucker, RF
- Yuli Gurriel, 1B
- Chas McCormick, CF
- Martín Maldonado, C
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