Houston Astros vs Boston Red Sox Box Score on Sep 30, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Sep 30, 2017

BOSTON -- The Boston Red Sox clinched their second consecutive American League East division title with a 6-3 win against the Houston Astros on Saturday afternoon at Fenway Park.

Boston (93-68) needed a win or a New York Yankees loss to clinch. It marks the first time since division play began in 1969 that the Red Sox have won back-to-back AL East crowns.

The second-place Yankees won 2-1 in their Saturday game against the Toronto Blue Jays.

AL West champion Houston (100-61) will finish with the second-best record in the league behind the Cleveland Indians and is set to face the Red Sox in the AL Division Series.

Game 1 of the series is Thursday in Houston.

John Farrell also became the first manager in Red Sox history to guide the team to three division championships. Boston has won the AL East in three of Farrell's five seasons.

Mitch Moreland had a pair of RBIs, Mookie Betts hit a solo home run, his 24th of the season, and Hanley Ramirez, Rafael Devers and Andrew Benintendi each drove in one run for the Red Sox.

Benintendi, who hit his 20th homer of the season Friday, stole third base on a double steal in the fifth inning to become only the third Red Sox rookie with a 20-20 season.

He is the youngest left fielder to have at least 20 homers and 20 steals in a season since home run king Barry Bonds in 1987.

Betts also scored two runs to give him his second straight 100-run, 100-RBI season. He and Ted Williams are the only players in Red Sox history to have multiple such seasons before turning 25.

Boston's Drew Pomeranz (17-6) bounced back from a short start last Monday to toss six-plus scoreless innings, striking out three and giving up two hits and two walks.

Pomeranz tied fellow ace left-hander Chris Sale for the Red Sox's team lead in victories. His first out of the fourth inning allowed him to surpass his previous career high of 170 2/3 innings.

Brian McCann launched a solo home run, his 18th, and Evan Gattis and Yuli Gurriel each knocked RBI singles for the Astros, who had their five-game winning streak stopped.

Astros starter Lance McCullers (7-4) hung three zeroes before giving up five runs in the fourth and fifth innings. He departed after 4 1/3 innings, allowing six hits and two walks with six strikeouts.

McCullers last won June 24 and is winless in his last seven starts.

After being blanked by McCullers, the Red Sox scored twice in the fourth and tacked on three runs in the fifth.

Houston scored two runs in the seventh and loaded the bases with two outs against reliever David Price, who logged the first two outs of the innings.

Price got George Springer to strike out looking on three pitches.

Betts led off the bottom of the seventh with his solo homer onto the Green Monster seats in left field.

McCann homered off Boston closer Craig Kimbrel with one out in the ninth, sending a pitch into the right-field seats.

NOTES: Boston 2B Dustin Pedroia, who has been dealing with a chronic left knee injury, was a late scratch from the lineup because of wet conditions on the field. ... Houston RF Josh Reddick (sore back) missed his third straight game and is still in Houston being evaluated. ... Astros LHP Dallas Keuchel will throw a simulated game Sunday on his scheduled day to start, but will not pitch until the ALDS. ... If the Red Sox had not clinched the AL East on Saturday, LHP Chris Sale (17-8, 2.90 ERA) would have started Sunday's regular-season finale. Sunday's starter is now undecided. RHP Collin McHugh (4-2, 3.45) will start for the Astros.