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SPORTS Tuesday 10 OcTOber 2017
Astros beat Red Sox 5-4 in Game 4, advance to ALCS

By JIMMY GOLEN Springer and Yuli Gurriel
AP Sports Writer each had three hits for the
BOSTON (AP) — Justin Ver- AL West champions, and
lander came out of the Reddick’s go-ahead single
bullpen for the first time in made up for misplaying a
his career, beating Chris fly ball into a home run in
Sale in an aces-turned- Game 3 to force a fourth
relievers role reversal on game.
Monday and the Houston Verlander also beat Sale in
Astros advanced to their the playoff opener and is
first AL Championship Se- now 7-0 for his new team.
ries by rallying past the Red Sale, who had never ap-
Sox 5-4 and eliminating peared in the postseason
Boston in four games. before 2017, pitched 4 2/3
“When we saw Verland- innings, allowing two runs
er run to the ‘pen we and four hits, striking out six.
said, ‘Our horse is on the “This is what we show up to
mound, we need to win this spring training for. It’s what
game,’” said Houston third we work all offseason for.
baseman Alex Bregman, Ups and downs, all around
who homered off Sale to the country,” Sale said.
tie it in the eighth before “This is what we live for.”
Josh Reddick’s single gave On a rainy day at Fenway
the Astros the lead. The Houston Astros celebrate their 5-4 win over the Boston Red Sox in Game 4 of baseball’s Park — the fourth straight
“That’s kind of the whole American League Division Series, Monday, Oct. 9, 2017, in Boston. day game — the Red Sox
energy that he’s brought Associated Press again saw a starter strug-
since we brought him over Verlander gave up a go- and Verlander, both get that the hurricane is over gle early, with Rick Porcello
here,” Bregman said of ahead homer to Andrew into the game. Everybody (but) the rebuild is not go- giving up Houston’s eighth
Verlander, the former AL Benintendi — the first batter did well,” Houston manag- ing to stop for a long time. first-inning run of the series.
MVP and Cy Young winner he faced — before shutting er A.J. Hinch said. “Nobody ... We want to win for them, The reigning AL Cy Young
who was acquired from down the Red Sox for 2 2/3 really wanted to concede we want to win for us, we winner, who led the AL
Detroit for the playoff run. innings. It was his first pro re- the game.” want to win because we with 22 wins last year and
“He’s brought an energy lief appearance after 424 The Astros last reached the showed up in spring train- the majors with 17 losses in
with him that, ‘Hey, when starts in the majors and mi- league championship se- ing to try to win a World 2017, gave up two runs in
he’s out there, we’re going nors.Bregman tied it before ries in 2005 as a National Series.”Giles pitched a three innings, walking three
to win.’” Reddick’s single off closer League team, and were perfect eighth before De- and striking out four while
Houston will open the ALCS Craig Kimbrel made it 4-3. swept in the World Series by vers opened the bottom of allowing five hits.Like Hous-
on Friday, either at Cleve- Carlos Beltran added to the White Sox. This year’s the ninth with a line drive ton, the Red Sox called on
land or at home against his postseason legacy with team, wearing “Houston over leaping center fielder their ace in relief.
the New York Yankees. The an RBI double — an insur- Strong” patches to support George Springer and off Sale was sharp before giv-
Indians held a 2-1 edge ance run that became the the city that was flooded in the Green Monster toward ing up Bregman’s leadoff
over the Yankees going game-winner when Rafael Hurricane Harvey, is hoping center. The 20-year-old Red homer in the eighth. He al-
into Game 4 of the AL Di- Devers hit an inside-the- to finish the job. Sox rookie easily circled the lowed a one-out single to
vision Series on Monday park homer off closer Ken “The city of Houston is still bases before the throw. Evan Gattis before closer
night. Giles to lead off the bottom rebuilding,” Hinch said. “It’s Giles retired the next three Kimbrel came on with two
With both Game 1 starters of the ninth. easy for us to look in the batters for his first career outs, walked Springer and
coming out of the bullpen, “The two big boys, Sale rearview mirror and think postseason save. gave up Reddick’s single.q
Twins give manager Paul Molitor deal through 2020 season

By JON KRAWCZYNSKI Levine never addressed ager, he served as a rov-
AP Sports Writer the manager’s future dur- ing instructor in the Twins’
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The ing the season, which saw minor league system, forg-
Minnesota Twins are bring- a 26-game improvement ing strong bonds with play-
ing back Paul Molitor as from 2016. That led to some ers like Brian Dozier, Miguel
manager after he led a his- uncertainty about whether Sano and Byron Buxton that
toric turnaround. they would retain a man- laid the groundwork for this
The Twins announced Mon- ager they inherited when season’s renaissance.
day that Molitor is getting they took over.But with “He’s our skipper. He’s our
a new three-year deal that Molitor among the front- leader,” Dozier said after
keeps him under contract runners for AL manager the Twins were eliminated
through 2020. They went of the year, the two sides by the Yankees. “He does
85-77 this season, becom- reached agreement on a so much, having his hands
ing the first team to make new deal less than a week on every single thing. ...
the playoffs after losing at after the season ended. When you’ve got a guy like
least 100 games the previ- A St. Paul native who spent that, we feel lucky.” Minnesota Twins manager Paul Molitor responds to questions
during a baseball news conference Monday, Oct. 2, 2017, in
ous year. They lost to the the final three seasons of a Molitor was hired to re- New York.
New York Yankees in the AL Hall of Fame career with the place longtime manager Associated Press
wild-card game last week. Twins, Molitor has earned Ron Gardenhire for the
Molitor spent the entire sea- the loyalty and respect of 2015 season. The Twins ingly competitive 83-79 in which the Twins lost 103
son in the final year of his his players with an even- were coming off of their year that kept them in the games, looking hapless in
initial three-year contract keeled demeanor and im- fourth straight season of playoff conversation deep the field, on the base paths
signed in 2014. New execu- pressive grasp of the game. 90-plus losses, but Molitor into September.Then came and on the mound.
tives Derek Falvey and Thad Prior to being hired as man- spearheaded a surpris- the disastrous 2016 season Continued on Next Page