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Globe and Boston.com Staff
The Red Sox will face the reigning World Series Houston Astros in the opening game of their AHL championship series. Refresh this page to get the latest news from Fenway Park.
Fifth Inning: Astros 2, Red Sox 0
high: Joe Kelly entered through the Boston office, ending Chris Sale's night on the mound. Josh Reddick's right field jump was overtaken by sprinter Mookie Betts, followed by George Springer who ran aground ahead of Eduardo Nunez. Jose Altuve then went to Brock Holt to end the inning.
Fourth inning: Astros 2, Red Sox 0
Low: Andrew Benintendi led Justin Verlander to a full count, but swayed. J.D. Martinez flew to Josh Reddick in the right field. Xander Bogaerts became the 10th-seeded Red Sox striker to be retired by Verlander, putting an end to the inning with a first-base goal-shot in fault-free territory.
high: Chris Sale forced Marwin Gonzalez to go to centerfield to open the round. Carlos Correa was eliminated by qualifying for the second goal, and the withdrawal of Martin Maldonado allowed Sale to make his own run 1-2-3.
Third round: Astros 2, Red Sox 0
Low: Jackie Bradley Jr. flew to Justin Verlander on the first pitch. Sandy Leon followed scoring for the second outing of the inning. Verlander completed another 1-2-3 run, inducing a Mookie Betts win.
high: Alex Bregman drew a walk from Chris Sale. Yuli Gurriel came out for the first time in the heat. Bregman was then thrown into second place by Red Sox receiver Sandy Leon, a decision that was confirmed after review. Sale then forced Tyler White to retire.
Round 2: Astros 2, Red Sox 0
Low: Justin Verlander started the round by eliminating Steve Pearce and Brock Holt. Eduardo Nunez was then found with Carlos Correa to end the inning.
high: Tyler White was caught staring at strike three by Chris Sale to open the second run. Marwin Gonzalez quickly lined up to second base for the second outing of the inning. Carlos Correa made a two-ball hike and Sale hit Martin Maldonado with a fastball of 96 miles at the hour to put two runners. Another walk to Josh Reddick loaded the bases.
George Springer posted a single total after third to score Correa and Maldonado. Jose Altuve then decided to choose a defensive player.
First round: Red Sox 0, Astros 0
Low: Mookie Betts lined up the second pitch of his first game in the right field in the right field for a single. Andrew Benintendi flew to the left field for the first start. Betts has qualified in second place on a wild pitch from the Astros starter, Justin Verlander. After J.D. Martinez launched the mark, Xander Bogaerts was found in a double game ending the round.
high: Chris Sale began his evening by walking George Springer after making a full count. Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman were retired according to the investigators' choices (Bregman's was called after a review). Sale then removed Yuli Gurriel to end the threat.
Barry Chin / Globe Staff
Jose Altuve was called to second position after a review.
pregame
■ Kevin Youkilis launched the first pitch.
Barry Chin / Globe Staff
Stan Grossfeld / Globe Staff
Kevin Youkilis shakes hands with Dustin Pedroia after Youkilis rejects the ceremonial speech.
Weather: It was about 50 degrees just before the first launch. Temperatures are expected to drop in the 1940s.
Preset scenes
John Tlumacki / Globe Staff
Red Sox players warm up (background) as Fenway reflects on a point of water above the witness bench.
Stan Grossfeld / Globe Staff
Red Sox manager Alex Cora before the match.
Stan Grossfeld / Globe Staff
Mookie Betts at batting practice.
Jim Davis / Globe Staff
It's cold in Fenway, and Xander Bogaerts donned his cap before playing a few catches before batting.
Jim Davis / Globe Staff
Brock Holt was wearing his sweatshirt while he was playing a few catches before batting training.
John Tlumacki / Globe Staff
Red Sox players warm up before the first match.
The queues
LHP Chris Sale and RHP Justin Verlander are the starters. Peter Abraham wrote about the match and how the two shooters intend to stay on the mount as long as they can. "Obviously, we both have very good reserves and big arms on each side. But that's more, I guess, the traditional way of playing the game and the way I like to play, said Sale.
| RED SOX (108-54 in regular season, 3-1 ALDS) | ASTROS (103-59 in the regular season, 3-0 ALDS) |
| Betts RF | Springer CF |
| Benintendi LF | Altuve 2B |
| Martinez DH | Bregman 3B |
| Bogaerts SS | Gurriel 1B |
| Pearce 1B | Gonzalez LF |
| Holt 2B | Correa SS |
| Nunez 3B | DH white |
| Bradley Jr. CF | Reddick RF |
| Leon C | Maldonado C |
| Pitch: Sale (1-0, 2.84 in series) | Pitch: Verlander (1-0, 3.38 in the playoffs) |
Notable: Mitch Moreland is absent for the third time in a row. Brock Holt is in training, rather than Ian Kinsler. Against Verlander, Holt is 3 out of 10 with two RBIs and two walks, and Kinsler is 8 out of 43 with two doubles, one product produced, nine strikeouts and six steps.
■ Verlander led the Astros in wins (16), strikeouts (290) and innings (214) in the regular season and led the starters in ERA (2.52). Against the Sox this season: 0-0 in a single start, eliminating six and giving two earned runs in three hits in six innings. ALDS Performance: In Match 1, Verlander won 5⅓ sleeves, hitting seven times and walking two of the 20 batters he's faced by tuning only two runs on two hits. He has launched 102 fields, including 70 for strikes.
■ Dirty went 0-1 in a start against the Astros this season. He allowed four runs (one HR) on six hits and removed six in six innings. Saturday night marks his third start in the playoffs, his second against the Astros. In last year's ALDS first game, he played five innings, allowing seven runs (three homers) on nine hits and scoring six out of five.
■ Other notes: Rick Porcello and Nathan Eovaldi are available for sale tonight. The Astros have won four of seven games against the Sox in the regular season. Here is the complete overview of Abraham's game.
Pretrial reading
■ How the Red Sox and Astros correspond, position by position.
■ Here is an overview of MLB's prospects for the ALS Red Sox-Astros.
■ Check the ALCS forecasts of Globe staff.
■ Dan Shaughnessy: How the Red Sox convinced us, even the most skeptical.
■ The Astros have one day left J.D. Martinez, and he says to himself "they did me a favor".
■ The management match of A.J. Hinch vs. Alex Cora will be fascinating.
■ Can Martin Maldonado control thieves at the Red Sox base?
■ The Red Sox bet to repair David Price's fastball and cutter.
■ How do Sox and Astros compare statistically?
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