Top of the Morning: Red Sox beat sloppy Astros 6-1 behind Lucas Giolito’s stellar start

Red Sox Sweep Astros in Dominant Six-Run Fourth Inning

Boston Explodes for Six Runs Behind Houston Errors in Series Finale

BOSTON — Trevor Story and Ceddanne Rafaela delivered consecutive RBI singles as part of a six-run fourth inning fueled by five Houston mistakes, propelling the Boston Red Sox to a 6-1 victory over the Astros on Sunday. This decisive win completed a series sweep for Boston, marking their third straight triumph over the AL West leaders and fourth consecutive victory overall.

Lucas Giolito turned in a masterful performance, pitching a season-high eight stellar innings. He surrendered only one run on three hits while striking out four and walking one, surpassing his previous best of 7 2/3 innings achieved on July 4th.

Connor Correa, acquired by Houston at the trade deadline, provided the lone highlight for the Astros with a home run. However, the team continues to struggle, dropping eight of their last ten games.

The early start time of 11:38 a.m. EDT marked the third instance this season where the Red Sox began a game in the morning, following similar occasions during Patriots' Day and Independence Day.

Framber Valdez (11-5) suffered his first loss since May 19th, ending his impressive 10-game winning streak. He gave up six runs, four earned, over six innings, shattering his previous ERA of 1.84 across his last 14 starts.

Turning Point:

The fourth inning proved pivotal as Houston's defensive miscues proved costly. A missed cutoff on Story's run-scoring single, a wild pitch, a balk allowing a run to score, and an error on Abreu's bunt under Valdez's glove contributed to the Red Sox’s explosive inning. Yainer Diaz also added a passed ball during this chaotic sequence.

Key Stat:

Valdez hadn't allowed three runs in an inning since May 19th.

Next Up:

• Astros: RHP Jason Alexander (1-1, 7.36 ERA) is scheduled to start the opener of a three-game series against the Marlins on Monday.
• Red Sox: RHP Brayan Bello (7-5, 3.19) will take the mound for the first game of a three-game series against the Royals on Monday.