The Houston Astros pounded out 13 hits and got a very solid start from Jose Urquidy on Monday evening, en route to an easy 11-2 win over the Boston Red Sox in the opener of a four game series at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas.
Houston (29-24) got off to a quick start in the second inning in sending Boston starter Eduardo Rodriguez to his fourth straight loss. Taylor Jones had a sacrifice fly and Myles Straw hit into a double play that scored another run to make it 2-0. Jose Altuve then took one down the left field line for a two-run homer in the third, and Kyle Tucker increased the advantage to 6-0 with a two-run single in the fifth inning. The Astros added on in the sixth with five more on a Alex Bregman two-run single, an RBI double by Carlos Correa, and another two-run single by Tucker. The Red Sox (32-21) didn’t get a hit until there were two outs in the fifth when Christian Vazquez doubled. The only runs came on a Alex Verdugo RBI double in the sixth, and a solo homer by Hunter Renfoe in the eighth. The loss snaps a three game win streak for Boston.
Rodriguez (5-4) allowed six runs on seven hits with two walks and four strikeouts in 4.2 innings. Renfoe had two hits. Urquidy (4-2) would only allow one run on three hits with one walk and nine strikeouts in 6.0 innings to get the win. Tucker had three hits and four RBI, while Altuve and Corrrea had a pair of hits each. Game two is Tuesday night at 8:10, with Boston sending RHP Garrett Richards (4-3, 3.83 ERA) to the hill against RHP Luis Garcia (3-3, 2.93) for Houston.
