BOSTON — Red Sox starter Eduardo Rodriguez walked off the mound with a six-run lead and a message for Carlos Correa and the rest of the Houston Astros:
Now it’s Boston’s time.
Tapping his wrist to mimic Correa’s Game 1 celebration, Rodriguez rode four more Boston homers — including Kyle Schwarber’s record-setting grand slam — to a 12-3 victory Monday night as the Red Sox took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven AL Championship Series.
Stop me if you’ve heard this before.
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 19, 2021
BUT THE RED SOX HIT A GRAND SLAM ???? @BRWalkoff
(via @MLB) pic.twitter.com/G8oP4RVU0L
One game after J.D. Martinez and Rafael Devers each hit grand slams, Schwarber hit a second-inning 3-0 pitch 430 feet into the right field grandstand. Boston is the first team ever with three slams in a postseason series.
Martinez and Devers each homered again, Christian Arroyo also hit one, and Kiké Hernández had two more hits for Boston, which could advance to the World Series with victories at Fenway Park in Games 4 and 5 on Tuesday night and Wednesday. The Astros need to win at least one to send the series back to Houston.
Rodriguez gave up five hits, including Kyle Tucker’s three-run homer, and struck out seven. He retired Correa to end the sixth and reminded the Astros shortstop that one win is not enough — a move that earned a reprimand from Boston manager Alex Cora, celebrating his 46th birthday.
The Red Sox had 11 hits in all, becoming the first team in major league history to reach double digits six straight times in a single postseason. Hernández has 18 hits during the playoffs and is batting .500, both leading the majors.
Capitalizing on two Astros errors and the struggles of Houston starter José Urquidy, the Red Sox opened a 9-0 lead for the second game in a row.
The Red Sox now have 10 or more hits in 6 consecutive games, the longest streak within a single postseason all-time.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 19, 2021
They also now have 19 HR this postseason, 1 shy of their franchise record for most HR in a single postseason, set in 2003. pic.twitter.com/CPBUIz3bxH
Rodriguez, who missed all of last season with covid-related heart problems, retired the first six batters before running into the trouble in the third, when Tucker made it 9-3.
Rodriguez’s effort enabled Cora to keep Nick Pivetta fresh for a Game 4 start. Urquidy gave up six runs, five earned, on five hits and two walks, striking out one in 1 2/3 innings.
Right fielder Hunter Renfroe ended the game with a diving catch on Correa’s liner.
