Eduardo Rodriguez pitched a very solid six innings and Rafael Devers hit a go ahead solo homer in the fourth inning Sunday afternoon, as the Boston Red Sox avoided a sweep with a 4-1 win over Justin Verlander and the Houston Astros at Minutemaid Park in Houston.
Carlos Correa singled in a first inning run off Rodriguez to make it 1-0 Houston. Rodriguez though would settle in after the opening inning allowing no runs on two hits in his final five innings on the hill. Andrew Benintendi evened things with a sacrifice fly for Boston in the third inning. In the top of the fourth, Devers hit a no doubt towering solo homer to center field off the Houston ace Verlander. The ball traveled an estimated 423 feet at 108 miles per hour exit velocity that proved to be the game winner. The third baseman now leads the team in hitting at .330 and has seven homers on the year.
The Red Sox (28-25) added to the lead when Benintendi reached on an error in the fifth allowing Eduardo Nunez to score, and then Nunez hit an RBI groundout in the ninth to add some insurance.
Rodriguez (5-3) had a final pitching line of one run allowed, four hits, with one walk, along with five strikeouts to earn the win. Brandon Workman and Matt Barnes each got a hold with an inning each of scoreless and hitless baseball with two strikeouts a piece. Marcus Walden earned his first save with a perfect ninth inning. Devers and Nunez each had two hits. Verlander (8-2) was tagged with the loss allowing three runs, six hits, with no walks, along with six strikeouts in 7.0 innings. The Astros (35-19) were held to just four total hits on the day.
Boston begins a three game series at Fenway late Monday afternoon at 4:05 p.m. against the Cleveland Indians. Rick Porcello will get the ball for the Sox, while the Indians counter with Jefrey Rodriguez.
