The unexpected run of the 2021 Boston Red Sox came to an end Friday night. Luis Garcia pitched into the sixth inning only allowing one hit, and Yordan Alvarez had four hits and the game winning RBI, as the Houston Astros defeated Boston 5-0 in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series at Minute Maid Park. Houston wins the series 4-2 and advances to the World Series.
Alex Bregman hit a two out single in the first, and Alvarez doubled to deep center field on a ball that looked to be catchable by Kike Hernandez. The ball was dropped however and Bregman scored from first which was the only run Houston needed. The Astros tried to add on in the fourth when Bregman singled and Alvarez doubled again to put runners on second and third with noone out. Boston starter Nathan Eovaldi escaped that damage when he struck out Carlos Correa and Kyle Tucker, before intentionally walking Yuli Gurriel and striking out Chas McCormick to keep it 1-0. Garcia was unhittable and kept the Sox off balance. A two out triple by Hernandez in the sixth is all the right hander would allow. Alvarez led off the bottom of the sixth with a triple down the right field line, and then Correa was hit by a pitch. Tucker followed by grounding a ball to Kyle Schwarber at first base who tagged the bag and Correa for an unassisted doubleplay, but Alvarez with some heads up baserunning scored from third. Boston had a chance to get right back into the game in the seventh when JD Martinez walked with one out, and Alex Verdugo singled. Travis Shaw then came up as a pinch hitter and struckout swinging on a 3-2 pitch, and Verdugo was thrown out at second by catcher Martin Maldonado on a hit and run to end the threat. Tucker put the finishing touches on the win with a two out, three-run homer off Adam Ottavino in the eighth.
Eovaldi (1-2) would allow one run on five hits with one walk and four strikeouts in 4.1 innings in taking the loss. Boston, who was picked to finish fourth in the American League East at the start of the season, sees their run end two wins short of a World Series appearance. The Red Sox end their season with a final record of 98-75. Garcia (1-1) allowed no runs on just the one hit with one walk and seven strikeouts in 5.2 innings. Alvarez had four hits and Bregman had two. Alvarez took home the ALCS MVP. Houston is headed back to the Fall Classic for the third time in five years, and will try to win their second championship in franchise history. The Astros will face N.L Champion Atlanta Braves starting Tuesday night. The Braves are making their first appearance in the World Series since 1999.
