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SPORTS Saturday 7 OctOber 2017

Correa, Altuve, Astros rout Red Sox 8-2, take 2-0 ALDS lead

By KRISTIE RIEKEN
AP Sports Writer
HOUSTON (AP) — Carlos
Correa homered, doubled
and drove in four runs,
Jose Altuve got two more
hits and the Houston As-
tros hammered the Boston
Red Sox 8-2 Friday to take
a commanding 2-0 lead in
the AL Division Series.
George Springer also hom-
ered to help Dallas Keuchel
coast in Houston’s second
straight romp by the same
score.
The Astros will go for a
sweep in the best-of-five
matchup Sunday at Fen-
way Park.
A day after Altuve hit three
home runs in the playoff
opener, he got things go-
ing with a two-out single
in the first inning off Drew
Pomeranz. Correa, who
went 0 for 4 on Thurs-
day, made it 2-0 when he
launched a towering shot
onto the train tracks atop
left field.
Keuchel pitched into the
sixth, allowing one run and
three hits while striking out
seven. Houston Astros’ Carlos Correa hits a two-run home run against the Boston Red Sox during the first inning in Game 2 of baseball’s
After Jackie Bradley Jr. had American League Division Series, Friday, Oct. 6, 2017, in Houston.
an RBI single in the Boston Associated Press
second, the Astros started David Price, the starter- crowd to get louder as he beard as his devastating ning, it looked like his third
to break away. turned-reliever with the stopped at second base. sinker, was cheered on by postseason start might be
Springer hit his first postsea- $217 million contract, Red Sox right fielder Mook- Houston’s other famous a short one. But he struck
son homer when he sent pitched 2 2/3 scoreless in- ie Betts had an error that bearded superstar as Rock- out the last two batters of
the second pitch of the nings for the Red Sox. Fol- looked like it was pulled ets guard James Harden that inning as the first of 13
third inning into the front lowing his exit, Houston from a blooper reel earlier watched from a front-row straight he retired.
row of the seats in right tacked on four runs in the in the sixth when he caught seat behind home plate. Keuchel exited to a stand-
field. sixth. a fly ball by Bregman then Keuchel’s father, Dennis, ing ovation after walking
A double by Alex Bregman A two-out intentional walk simply lost the ball as he also was in attendance Hanley Ramirez with two
set up an RBI single by Al- to Altuve, the major league tried to throw it back in. and multiple television outs in the sixth inning.
tuve later in the inning, batting champion this sea- Betts looked confused as shots showed him looking Altuve, who hit .346 this
making it 4-1 and ending son, led to a two-run double the ball dribbled away from a mixture of excited and year, kept punishing pitch-
Pomeranz’s first career by Correa. The top overall him and he was charged nervous as he gazed at his ers. After singling in his first
postseason start after two pick in the 2012 draft and with an error, allowing a run son’s work. two trips to the plate, giving
relief appearances. The crown jewel of Houston’s to score. The left-hander had trouble him five hits in the series, the
lefty kept his head down years-long rebuilding proj- Keuchel, the 2015 AL Cy settling in early and after Red Sox had seen enough
as he trudged toward the ect raised his hands in de- Young Award winner, needing 30 pitches to get and intentionally walked
dugout after being lifted. light and motioned for the known as much for his through the second in- him in the fourth. q