There were encouraging signs from the Boston Red Sox’s offense on Friday night, and the team will look to build on that performance when it hosts the Houston Astros on Saturday afternoon.
Jarren Duran’s three-run home run was the big blow in Boston’s 3-1 victory Friday. The home run, Duran’s second of the season, erased a 1-0 deficit in the third inning.
Duran entered the game hitting .170. His home run came after Carlos Narvaez drew a walk in an 11-pitch at-bat and Caleb Durbin singled.
“Whenever a guy has an at-bat like that, you kind of wear down the pitcher, see some more pitches,” Duran said. “You always have to tip your cap to (Narvaez). That guy is a stud, and every time he goes to the plate he has a great approach.
“I just got a pitch I could handle,” Duran continued. “I was just trying to get the job done, just tie the game by getting an RBI from third base … just do my job, and I happened to run into a homer right there.”
Boston also received three hits — a double and two singles — from Roman Anthony, who began the game in a 4-for-31 slump. It was Anthony’s first multi-hit game since April 15, and his first three-hit performance since Opening Day. He entered the weekend hitting .209.
“He looked good today,” Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said. “He stayed off pitches out of the zone. I saw him chase a little bit in the last couple of games, which I’m not used to seeing with him. I think it was a big step in the right direction for quality.”
Despite the positive signs from Duran and Anthony, Friday’s game was the 18th time Boston has scored three runs or less in a game this season. The Red Sox are 4-14 in those games.
Right-hander Spencer Arrighetti (3-0, 2.00 ERA) will take the mound for Houston on Saturday. He’s 1-1 with a 3.00 ERA in two career starts against Boston.
Left-hander Connelly Early (2-1, 2.84 ERA) is Boston’s probable starter. He will face Houston for the first time.
The Astros were 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position and stranded 10 in Friday night’s loss. Houston scored on a solo home run by Carlos Correa, who had three of his team’s 11 hits.
“Today is one of those days where we pitched really well, then we don’t hit,” Correa said. “Sometimes we hit and we don’t pitch well. We’ve just got to find the perfect balance where we’re all in sync and just doing everything at the right time.”
Houston left at least one runner on base in seven of the nine innings.
“We were one swing away,” Houston manager Joe Espada added. “But we pitched really well. Mike (Burrows), Bennett Sousa and Bryan King gave us a shot. That’s all you can ask for. Mike settled down after that one inning (when Duran homered). Really pitched through some tough stretches there and gave us an opportunity, but just one swing away and sometimes that happens.”
–Field Level Media
