Escaping what could have been the most dramatic Game 162 since they coughed up the division in 2011, the Red Sox took care of business yesterday afternoon, knocking off the Houston Astros, 6-3, in a rainy game at Fenway to clinch a second straight AL East title.
The win also locked the Red Sox into another matchup against the Astros in the AL Division Series with Game 1 on Thursday at Minute Maid Park.
“This is probably one of the most emotional ones,” said Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts. “One hundred and sixty-one games - that took a long time.”
It’s the Sox’ ninth division title since divisional play began in 1969.
The result also finalised the first-round playoff matchups that will feature the New York Yankees and Minnesota Twins in the AL wild card game on Tuesday and the top-seeded Cleveland Indians facing the winner of that game in the other best-of-five ALDS.
In the locker room after the Red Sox clinched, the players celebrated in the middle, surrounded by front-office personnel, family, friends, journalists, cameras and giant coolers full of beer and unopened champagne.
Standing off to the side was principal owner John Henry, who said he was never worried, even as his club went 1-4 entering the weekend and kept the Yankees’ divisional-title hopes alive.
“I thought that last road trip put us in such great position,” Henry said. “We would really have to blow it, and I didn’t think we would.”
Yesterday, the Red Sox offense finally showed up.
The Sox were shut down in the first two games of this regular-season-ending series by the back end of the Houston rotation. All the Red Sox really needed was to face Lance McCullers Jr., who had a 7.71 ERA over his last seven games, a span in which opponents had hit .331 with an .898 OPS against him.
McCullers, who has been on the disabled list twice since the All-Star break with back problems, kept the Sox scoreless until the fourth inning, when a pair of walks, a wild pitch and Hanley Ramirez’ single put them ahead. Rookie Rafael Devers then wiped away the falling rain and swatted an RBI double off the Green Monster to put the Sox up, 2-0.
“We don’t panic,” said Ramirez. “You can see it in our faces. We know what kind of team we are. We are winners and mentally strong. We knew we could get it done.”
Andrew Benintendi singled home Bogaerts before Mookie Betts also singled to knock McCullers out of the game in the fifth. Benintendi and Betts executed a double steal off Tony Sipp and both scored on an opposite-field double from Mitch Moreland to make it 5-0.
“Today was one of the best games we’ve played all year - offensively, defensively, pitching, timely hits and clutch hits,” Bogaerts said. “Everyone did their part.”
With five runs off McCullers, the Red Sox built enough of a lead to make things easy for Drew Pomeranz and the bullpen.
Pomeranz went six scoreless before MVP candidate Jose Altuve singled to lead-off the seventh and reliever Carson Smith gave up three straight singles to put Houston on the board at 5-2.
Manager John Farrell summoned David Price, who threw 24 pitches on Friday and was supposed to be resting yesterday, to clean up the mess.
“Thankfully he came in today and, after he went through his throwing program, he said, ‘Hey, if the situation presents, give me the ball,’ “ Farrell said.
Price got two outs, walked pinch-hitter Tyler White and then, after Farrell’s mound visit confused reliever Addison Reed, who started running onto the field out of the bullpen, Price stayed in the game to strike out George Springer and end the frame.
“I’m really happy for him,” said president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowksi, who signed Price to a contract for $217mn before the 2016 season. “I know it hasn’t been easy in many ways, because of the injury factor first and foremost, but I’m really happy for him to see what he did. He’s a great pitcher.”
Red Sox starters have an ERA over 5in their last 17 games, but their bullpen is the silver lining. In that same span, Sox relievers have recorded nearly as many outs as the starters, ranking fifth in the bigs with a 2.54 ERA over 741/3 innings.
Since coming back from his second trip to the DL, Price hasn’t allowed a run in 82/3 innings out of the bullpen, striking out 13 while giving up just three hits.
RESULTS
Seattle 6 LA Angels 4
LA Dodgers 5 Colorado 3
Texas 8 Oakland 4
Kansas City 4 Arizona 3
Chicago White Sox 2 Cleveland 1
Detroit 3 Minnesota 2
Miami 10 Atlanta 2
NY Mets 7 Philadelphia 4 (11 innings)
Pittsburgh 4 Washington 1
Tampa Bay 4 Baltimore 3
St. Louis 7 Milwaukee 6
Chicago Cubs 9 Cincinnati 0
San Diego 3 San Francisco 2
NY Yankees 2 Toronto 1
Boston 6 Houston 3