Roman Reigns Supreme: Red Sox Walk Off Astros in 10-Inning Frenzy
Because nothing says baseball like tying, waiting, bunting disasters and a fresh-faced rookie delivering a walk-off single.
Game in a Nutshell
Last night’s marathon at Fenway felt more like a low-budget suspense thriller than your average Friday night ballgame. The Boston Red Sox edged the visiting Houston Astros, 2–1, in 10 innings thanks to a sacrificial mishap, a drawn-in outfield, and a rookie named Roman Anthony who made every single at-bat count. Christian Walker did his best Astros impersonation by bombing an early solo shot into center in the second inning, Chris Criswell spun a seven-inning masterpiece of loopholes and seven hits, and Wilyer Abreu delivered a seventh-inning sacrifice fly to knot things up. Then we collectively held our breath through extra innings until Boston finally slapped on the finishing touches in the bottom of the 10th.
Starter Shenanigans: Criswell vs. Brown
Boston turned to Cooper Criswell, who somehow mastered the art of allowing seven hits without surrendering a single additional run. He gave up Walker’s second-inning moonshot over the Monster but promptly settled into cruise control, retiring 14 of the next 16 batters and making us question whether MLB should consider a “no-run rule” for pitchers of his ilk. On the other side, Hunter Brown looked every bit the midseason breakout star, carrying a shutout into the seventh inning and tantalizing Astros fans with visions of an easy win. But then Brown ran out of steam just as Criswell refused to, because why make life easy for everyone?
Offense: A Punch-Drunk Display of Patience
Neither squad must have gotten the memo about playing offense. Boston managed just two hits through the first six innings, and the Astros couldn’t string together back-to-back knocks to save their lives. At one point it felt like a group therapy session where everyone was too polite to speak up. The mercy clause never arrived, so by the seventh inning the game was trending straight for extra innings with a grand total of one run from Walker’s early fireworks.
The Tying Play: Sacrifice Fly Shenanigans
In the bottom of the seventh, Boston finally dusted off the long ball alternatives. Masataka Yoshida drew a head-high pitch and slapped it into his forearm, winning a free pass to first. That set the stage for Wilyer Abreu’s textbook sacrifice fly that darted into deep left, plating Yoshida with a textbook run and forcing us to actually pay attention again. If you’ve ever wondered how many ways you could manufacture one measly run in modern baseball, this was your crash course.
Extra Innings: Bunt Fails and Defensive Drama
Fenway’s lights dimmed and the warning track grass took center stage as we tiptoed into the 10th. Ceddanne Rafaela, seemingly paid by the bunt attempt, laid down a swinging bunt that barely made it an inch in front of the plate. Catcher Yainer Díaz’s throw to third was punctual—if you consider “three seconds after the runner slid” punctual—and Abreu slid in under the tag to set up the death knell. On the other side, Mauricio Dubón hit a soft grounder to Trevor Story, whose throw home was precise enough to prompt you to wonder why all infielders don’t play like this every day.
The Walk-Off: Rookie Warrior Rising
Enter Roman Anthony, who looked about as comfortable as an honors student in detention when the pitcher’s first two sliders painted the corners. Down 0–2, Roman refused to strike out on national television and took a fastball over the heart of the plate. That fly ball soared over drawn-in center fielder Chas McCormick’s glove, landed just behind him, and scored Abreu standing on second. Fenway erupted—half in relief that it was finally over, half in disbelief at how we got here.
Bullpen Breakdown: Weissert’s Weekend Passion Project
Credit where it’s due: Greg Weissert came in for the 10th and threw a perfect frame filled with fastballs so sharp you could shave with them. His four-seamers hardly grazed the zone until Houston tipped its cap and went home. Conversely, Bennett Sousa’s debut loss looked like he mistook the mound for a carousel—he didn’t manage a single out and got saddled with the loss. Such is bullpen roulette: sometimes you hit the jackpot, other times you get stuck with the empty slot.
Defensive Gems and Gaffes
Between the six hits allowed by Criswell and the three Red Sox errors, you’d think someone was auditioning for an MLB blooper reel. Fortunately, Trevor Story’s late defensive hustle kept Houston’s ghost runner off the board in the top of the 10th, reminding us all that fundamentals still matter. For every flubbed ground ball, there was a diving catch or clutch throw that preserved the tie—proving once again that baseball is 10 percent skill and 90 percent being lucky enough to erase your mistakes in the next inning.
What This Win Means (Beyond the Obvious)
With this victory, Boston improved to 60–51, climbed to a season-high nine games over .500 and strengthened its home-field swagger. More importantly, it reaffirmed that this squad can grind out ugly victories with the best of them—even when the offense resembles a sloth on a treadmill. The late-night rally also throws a wrench in any lingering trade-deadline debates: why move a single piece of this lineup when they’re finding ways to win games that look destined for extra-inning purgatory?
What’s Next for Cora and Co.
Shake off the sleep deprivation, because Saturday brings Walker Buehler vs. Colton Gordon at 4:10 p.m. ET, followed by Lucas Giolito on Sunday morning (because Cora apparently believes the sun has nothing to do with it). Expect a few more bullpen experiments as Boston continues its quest to discover which relievers are reliable and which should have been shipping boxes instead. Until then, savor this win for what it is: a gritty reminder that sometimes baseball is more about surviving the chaos than dominating the scoreboard.
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