Despite new additions, Astros' bats shut down in 10-inning loss to Red Sox

Charles Krupa/Associated Press

BOSTON — A new-look lineup did not yield immediate results. The Houston Astros introduced their key trade-deadline additions in the opener of a series at Fenway Park and regained shortstop Jeremy Peña from the injured list, rendering their offense its closest to full strength in weeks.

A quiet offensive night ensued anyway. The Astros managed one run in 10 innings, falling 2-1 in a walk-off loss when Roman Anthony sent a drive over the head of Chas McCormick in center field to give the Boston Red Sox cause for celebration.

For the Astros, the outcome spoiled the return of Carlos Correa and the arrival of Jesús Sánchez, who had two of their seven hits on the night, plus a strong outing by Hunter Brown. Houston went 0-for-6 with men in scoring position and stranded seven runners in defeat.

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That included being unable to score their extra-innings runner in the top of the 10th. Chas McCormick took third on Cam Smith’s fly out to begin the inning. McCormick then broke for the plate on Mauricio Dubón’s chopper to shortstop Trevor Story, a contact play that saw him thrown out at home.

“(Dubón) is one of our best contact hitters and that spot is tailor-made for him,” manager Joe Espada said. “Trying to put the ball in play or hit a fly ball or something, but yeah, contact play trying to score a run.”

Christian Walker drove a changeup from Cooper Criswell over the Green Monster in left-center field in the second. It provided the only Astros offense for nine innings. Criswell allowed seven hits over seven innings, needing just 84 pitches to complete them, before yielding to his bullpen.

Brown protected a one-run lead until the seventh. He allowed just four hits in seven frames, two by former teammate Alex Bregman. A former Astros farmhand, Wilyer Abreu, helped Boston finally break through, skying a seventh-inning sacrifice fly that tied the game 1-1.

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Bullpens traded zeroes for two innings. Houston closer Josh Hader allowed a one-out double to Trevor Story in the ninth but escaped, sending his team to its 10th extra-innings game this season and the Red Sox to their 17th, tied for most in the majors. Hader threw 20 pitches, ruling out a second inning.

After a run of laborious outings, Brown’s night closer resembled his early-season efficiency. He worked seven innings of one-run ball on 97 pitches. He scattered four hits, three of them singles. He struck out six batters and walked one.

“He was really, really good,” Espada said. “Strong. Stuff was great. Ton of swing-and-misses. He had his ‘A’ game, for sure.”

Brown retired eight of his first nine hitters. Roman Anthony and Bregman struck two-out singles in the third. The entire Houston infield convened for a mound visit. Brown got ahead 0-2 and threw Jarren Duran a high 96.3 mph fastball to induce a whiff. It elicited a burst of emotion from the right-hander.

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Brown’s average velocity on both his four-seamer and sinker were 1.1 mph below his season mean, per Statcast. He induced just eight whiffs on 42 swings. But the 19 batted balls Boston put into play against him averaged just an 83.2 mph exit velocity.

The Red Sox scored their lone run against Brown without a hit. Story drew a leadoff walk in the seventh. Brown seemed exasperated on a close 2-2 pitch called low. He plunked Masataka Yoshida on a full-count pitch. A bunt advanced both runners.

Abreu then lifted a slicing fly ball down the left-field line. Sánchez tracked it to the wall. As it appeared to curve back toward the line at the last second, Sánchez reached back to make the catch. Story scored on the sacrifice fly to even the score.

The quality start was Brown’s first since July 2. His ERA in five July starts was 5.54. August began on a better note. Brown trimmed his season ERA to 2.47. Bregman’s two singles comprised half of the hit total against him.

“He went 2-for-3, so not that fun for me,” Brown said of facing his former teammate. “But we’ve got him again (in Houston) coming up in a couple weeks. So look forward to getting after that lineup again.”

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Houston made several outs on the basepaths, mistakes that stalled potential rallies and stood out for a team that stresses clean fundamentals.

Sánchez, on first base after a two-out single in the first, took second on an errant Criswell pickoff throw. Sánchez appeared to slow as he reached second. But he sped up again, trying for third, and was thrown out easily, ending the inning.

Smith reached on a one-out error in the fifth. Dubón then lifted a fly ball to shallow right-center. Smith appeared to read the ball as falling for a hit and broke for second. Abreu made a charging catch and doubled Smith off first base.

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In the sixth, Jose Altuve stood on first base with one out. Altuve took his secondary lead toward second and appeared to be slow getting back to first. Catcher Carlos Narváez threw behind him, and Altuve was thrown out trying for second.

“We are a really good baserunning team, and we made some outs on the bases, which is very uncharacteristic of our style of play,” Espada said. “But we hit some balls hard. … I liked our at-bats. We hit some balls hard, we grinded.”

Peña, reinstated from the injured list Friday after missing more than a month with a fractured rib, struck singles in each of his first three at-bats. He also made a slick defensive play to rob Narváez of a hit and end the second inning.

Peña went hitless in his final two at-bats, flying out to end the top of the 10th inning. He was replaced on defense in the bottom of the inning, however.

Espada said Peña’s right hamstring “cramped up” on his final swing in the top of the 10th. Peña said he felt the hamstring “kind of grabbed on” during the at-bat but said he felt optimistic about playing Saturday.

Houston went 13-14 in the 27 games Peña missed. Its offense averaged 4.7 runs per game and was 10th in the majors with a .740 OPS in that stretch. Still, the Astros missed Peña’s presence atop their lineup. He had a .941 OPS in the leadoff spot prior to his injury.

The Astros could not capitalize on the traffic Peña created Friday. Altuve bounced into a double play after Peña singled to lead off the game. Altuve worked a walk after Peña’s two-out single in the third, but Criswell induced a groundout from Sánchez.

An Altuve fielder’s choice erased Peña after his single in the sixth. Still, the sight of Peña being aggressive at the plate and offering an offensive spark was encouraging for Houston after his lengthy layoff and only two minor-league rehab games.

“I felt good,” Peña said. “As far as baseball playing, I feel like I can play my game with no fear whatsoever.”

Two of the Astros’ trade deadline additions slotted immediately into the middle of their lineup. Sánchez, the left-handed hitting outfielder acquired from the Marlins, hit third against Criswell, while Correa manned the cleanup spot.

Sánchez started in left field. He has played all three outfield spots in the majors. Espada said he plans to keep Sánchez in the corner spots as: “I think that’s where he’s most comfortable.” He could also spell Smith in right field.

“I’m going to hit him in that middle of the lineup,” Espada said. “I really like him against right-handed pitching, so I’m going to focus in on playing him aginast right-handed pitching.”

That seems sensible. Sánchez began Friday with an .814 OPS against right-handed pitching and a .393 OPS against left-handers. McCormick will be a left-field option against left-handers, as will Altuve when he is not at second base or DH.

Ramón Urías, the utility infielder and third Houston trade acquisition, did not start Friday. Espada said Urías is an option to play second or third base, but would need reps at second and shortstop given he has played third base primarily this season.

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Despite new additions, Astros’ bats shut down in 10-inning loss to Red Sox

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