BOSTON (AP) - Astros manager AJ Hinch says his team is at its best when his players are putting together good at-bats one after another.
Against the Boston Red Sox, the Houston hitters did that - eventually.
Carlos Correa lofted a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the eighth inning and the Astros won their sixth straight game, rallying past Boston 6-3 Friday night in a matchup of AL division leaders.
The Red Sox, with the best record in the majors, had won three in row.
Boston starter David Price had allowed just one hit and retired 14 in a row when he went into the seventh with a 2-0 lead. He left after Alex Bregman’s double and a walk and, after Ryan Brasier took over, the Astros scored three times. J.D. Martinez tied it with a single for his second RBI of the game.
Houston then scored three times in the eighth. Correa put the AL Central leaders ahead, a wild pitch by Joe Kelly (4-2) scored another run and Tyler White added an RBI single.
“Price was unbelievable tonight. He was throwing fastballs, cutters, both sides of the plate, changeup,” Bregman said. “It was good stuff by him, but it was a good team win by us. Happy to knock him out.
Ryan Pressly (2-1) got two outs and Roberto Osuna posted his 14th save. Astro starter Gerrit Cole went six innings, giving up five hits and two runs and striking out eight.
“We’re in the ballgame. Guys don’t give up at bats, whether the score is 9-0 or 0-0. It’s just not the way they go about their business,” Cole said. “I’m really thankful that they do that and it makes it easier to sit there to having blown the lead but try to continue to throw quality innings. … This is a team game and it was a great team win.”
Price tied a season-high with 10 strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings, allowing two hits and two runs. Boston had won the previous nine games he had started.
“It’s been a couple days since the last time I was out there. I thought I threw the ball pretty good,” said Price, who returned from a bruised wrist. “I lost it there in the seventh inning when I really needed to make pitches. And I wasn’t able to do that.”
Yuli Gurriel’s RBI double and Tony Kemp’s two-run double off Brasier made it 3-2 the seventh.
Martinez put AL East-leading Boston in front 1-0 with a sacrifice fly that scored Mookie Betts.
Xander Bogaerts hit his 20th home run to open the Boston fourth. He had an opportunity to put up more runs in the fifth but struck out with the bases loaded to end the inning.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Red Sox: Manager Alex Cora said LHP Chris Sale (mild left shoulder inflammation) will return to the rotation as the “opener” when Boston begins its three-game series against Toronto. Sale will be limited to about two innings for 40 pitches. … Cora also announced that 2B Dustin Pedroia has been officially shut down for the remainder of 2018. Cora said the 35-year-old veteran had an additional arthroscopic surgery on his left knee while rehabbing in Arizona in July to cleanup some scar tissue. Pedroia had two initial procedures on the knee last October.
ROAD WARRIORS
Now 48-21 away from Houston, the Astros own the majors’ highest road winning percentage (.696). They are 13-4 in their last 17 road games.
INJURY TIMEOUT
There was about a 13-minute delay between at-bats in the second inning after home plate umpire Brian O’Nora was escorted off the field after being hit int the face by a foul tip. James Hoye moved from first base and took his place behind the plate. They went with a three-person crew the rest of the game.
UP NEXT
Astros: RHP Charlie Morton is 0-1 with a 4.60 ERA and 17 strikeouts in three career starts against Boston.
Red Sox: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (12-3) is 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA in three career outings (three starts) against Houston.
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