The Houston Astros overcame an error-riddled game against the Boston Red Sox on Monday, winning 5-4 as Yainer Diaz hit his first career walk-off home run with one out in the ninth inning.
Diaz hit a cutter, the first pitch from Red Sox closer Kenley Jansen (3-2), 401 feet to left-center field for his 14th home run of the season and the game-winning hit over Astros closer Josh Hader (6-6), who had a perfect top of the ninth inning.
The Astros overcame a 4-2 deficit with a sacrifice fly by John Singleton in the sixth inning and a hit by Mauricio Dubon in the eighth inning, which allowed Chas McCormick, batting in the same order as Singleton, to single, steal second base and score.
Boston’s Masataka Yoshida pinch-hit in the top of the sixth inning and hit a two-run home run to break a 2-2 tie.
Yoshida greeted Astros relief pitcher Taylor Scott with a hard hit the other way into the left field stands above the away scoreboard. His ninth home run sent leadoff hitter Romy Gonzalez home after he reached base on a throwing error by second baseman Jose Altuve. Yoshida came in to pinch-hitter for Connor Wong, who was 0-for-2 with one strikeout against Astros left-hander Yusei Kikuchi.
Kikuchi left the game after striking out Danny Jansen and Triston Casas in succession. His defense didn’t help him at all. Houston committed a season-high four errors with Kikuchi on the mound, and he gave up three runs (one earned) on five hits over 5 2/3 innings. He struck out seven and walked one.
Jarren Duran pounced on Kikuchi’s first pitch of the game, a fastball, and smashed it into left field for his 16th home run of the game. Boston extended its lead to two later in the inning when Astros third baseman Shea Whitcomb mishandled a two-out grounder by Jansen, allowing Rafell Devers to score from second base.
Kikuchi overcame a fielding error by shortstop Jeremy Peña in the second inning and a throwing error by catcher Victor Caratini in the fifth inning to pitch the entire game. Despite some shaky defense, he kept his pitch count down by getting Rob Refsnyder’s ground ball in the third inning and Wong’s ground ball into a double play in the fourth inning.
Boston starter Tanner Hoke gave up eight hits and three runs (two earned) over six innings, with no walks and eight strikeouts.
–Field Level Media
