The Houston Astros on Wednesday rode dominant performances from Framber Valdez on the mound and Yordan Alvarez at the plate to a 9-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox in Game 5 of the ALCS. The win means the Astros now lead the best-of-seven series 3-2 and are one win away from their third AL pennant in five years.
Coming into Game 5, Astros starters had combined for just 6 2/3 innings through the first four games of the series. As such, Dusty Baker’s overtaxed bullpen badly needed some length from Valdez on Wednesday. Valdez gave them that and much more. In eight innings, Valdez permitted one run on three hits while striking out five and walking one. He also recorded 13 groundouts against two flyouts. Valdez didn’t allow a base-runner or ball out of the infield until Rafael Devers singled to right to lead off the fifth. Devers also ended the shutout with a solo home run in the seventh that accounted for Boston’s lone run.
Alvarez, Houston’s designated hitter, provided all the offense Valdez and the Astros needed, first with his opposite-field solo home run off Boston starter Chris Sale in the second inning. He then added insurance in the sixth with an opposite-field double — his third opposite-field hit of the game off Sale — that plated two additional runs. Alvarez wound up a triple shy of the cycle. The Astros in total scored five runs in that sixth frame.
For Boston, Sale looked like his vintage self for the first five innings, but in the sixth he suffered velocity loss, and the Astros were able to take advantage. In 5 1/3 innings, Sale was charged with four runs, two of which were earned. Going back to Game 4, the Astros scored 15 unanswered runs against Boston prior to the Devers homer.
The Astros will return home for Game 6 on Friday needing only one win to advance to the World Series. The Red Sox, meantime, will be hoping to force a Game 7.