News » The Boston Red Sox may have won a major league-best 108 games

in the regular season Bob Gibson Jersey , but they find themselves with a 1-0 deficit in the American League Championship Series against the Houston Astros after dropping a 7-2 decision in Game 1.The World Series champions led through the majority of the game and survived a tying rally by the Red Sox in the bottom of the fifth inning to take the lead again in the top of the sixth. The Astros were up 3-2 into the top of the ninth and put away the game with home runs by Josh Reddick and Yuli Gurriel.Shortstop Carlos Correa drove in the go-ahead run with a two-out base hit off of the hard-throwing Joe Kelly."I was looking for a fastball, and he throws 100, so I had to be ready for that," Correa told TBS reporter Lauren Shehadi after the game. "It was up in the zone, and I put a really good swing on it."Kelly relieved Red Sox starter Chris Sale, who pitched four innings before manager Alex Cora pulled him. Sale only gave up one hit, but he walked four and gave up two runs. Sale settled down and pitched effectively in the third and fourth innings, but by then, he had thrown 86 pitches, and that count was too high.Game 1: Astros 7, Red Sox 2, Houston leads series 1-0Game 2:Sunday http://www.stlouiscardinalsteamshop.com/authentic-willie-mcgee-jersey , October 14 at Boston (7:09 p.m., TBS)Game 3:Tuesday, October 16 at Houston (5:09 p.m., TBS)Game 4:Wednesday, October 17 at Houston (8:39 p.m., TBS)Game 5:Thursday, October 18 at Houston (8:09 p.m., TBS)*Game 6:Saturday, October 20 at Boston (5:09 p.m., TBS)*Game 7:Sunday, October 21 at Boston (7:39 p.m., TBS)**If necessary.All Times ET. Game 2 tickets:StubHub. Sale was ineffective Mike Matheny Jersey , but Houston starter Justin Verlander was quite sharp and earned the win. Verlander gave up two runs on two hits, and he struck out six batters, dominating with his fastball.ESPN Stats amp; Info ESPNStatsInfoGeorge Springer gave the Astros a 2-0 lead with a bases loaded single.Springer currently has 12 RBI in his last 10 playoff games. Tonight is his 5th career multi-RBI game in the playoffs, 3rd-most in Astros history behind Lance Berkman (8) and Carlos Correa (7). 9B7G7AAbqdCorrea said Verlander gave the Astros just what they were looking for in the ALCS opener. "Whenever Justin is on the mound, we go to the field expecting to win," Correa said on the broadcast. "That's just what Justin gave us tonight. He did what he does best, shutting down the lineup. They have a great lineup over there, but he was lights out."Game 2 is scheduled for Sunday at 7:09 p.m. ET. TBS will televise proceedings.David Price, who was knocked out of his American League Division Series start by the New York Yankees after 1.2 innings, will start for the Red Sox.Hard-throwing right-hander GerritCole will be on the mound for the Astros.The Red Sox are going to to need a consistent pitching effort from Price, and their big hitters have to come through.Mookie Betts opened the game with a single off of Verlander, but that was his only hit in four at-bats. J.D. Martinez was hitless in three at bats http://www.stlouiscardinalsteamshop.com/authentic-red-schoendienst-jersey , although he did have one walk.The Red Sox, who ranked first in the Major Leagues with 876 runs scored during the season, were held to three singles. They looked nothing like the team that scored 16 runs in Game 3 of the ALDS at Yankee Stadium.They face a crucial game Sunday. If they drop a second straight home game to the Astros, they will take a 2-0 deficit to Houston and be attempting to win four of the next five games against the World Series champions.Gerrit Cole will take the mound for the Astros in Game 2.David J. Phillip/Associated Press PredictionThe Red Sox sent their best pitcher to the mound, and he was unable to pitch into the fifth inning. Price takes the mound in Game 2, and he has struggled throughout his postseason career.If he doesn't put an end to that streak Sunday, the Red Sox are likely to find themselves in a deep hole. Boston's hitters are also going to have to do quite a bit better with their offense after a three-hit performance in Game 1.Even if Price can pitch a solid game and Cole proves more hittable than Verlander, that doesn't mean the Red Sox will have enough to win this game.They must play a flawless defensive game, contribute timely hitting and make decisive pitches when the game is on the line.The expectation here is that the Red Sox will play better than they did in Game 1, but it will not be good enough.Houston wins Game 2 on the road and takes a 2-0 series lead. OAKLAND, Calif. — The Los Angeles Angels will look to further endanger the Oakland Athletics‘ chances of making the playoffs when the teams meet Wednesday night for the second time in a three-game series.Caleb Cowart, pressed into action when regular second baseman David Fletcher was lost for the season Sunday with a hamstring injury Enos Slaughter Jersey , shocked the Oakland crowd with his first career grand slam Tuesday night, helping the Angels overcome an early three-run deficit en route to a 9-7 victory.The win was the fourth-place Angels’ eighth in 14 meetings with their California rivals this season.Article continues below ...The loss dropped the A’s (90-61) a game closer to Tampa Bay (84-66) with 12 games remaining in the Rays’ season. A lead that was 8 1/2 games after the A’s won at Tampa Bay on Friday night has suddenly shrunk to 5 1/2.Well after the Rays close out a series at Texas on Wednesday afternoon, Angels right-hander Felix Pena (3-4, 3.75 ERA) will match up with A’s lefty Brett Anderson (3-5, 4.35) for the second time in a little over a month.The Angels prevailed 4-3 in the Aug. 10 meeting, overcoming a shaky start by Pena, who allowed first-inning home runs to Matt Chapman and Khris Davis among his first 13 pitches.But the A’s went the final 8 2/3 innings without scoring again, and the Angels eventually overtook them on two-run homers by Kole Calhoun off Anderson and Justin Upton against Lou Trivino.It was Trivino who served up the grand slam to Cowart in the series opener.Pena was won his last two starts, including a six-inning scoreless effort against Texas last Wednesday in his most recent outing.He has faced the A’s twice in his career, once as a starter, with a 0-0 record and 5.40 ERA.Anderson is trying to pitch his way into the Oakland postseason rotation, if in fact the A’s qualify. He did not help his cause in his last start http://www.stlouiscardinalsteamshop.com/authentic-chris-carpenter-jersey , when he lasted 3 1/3 innings in his first outing after missing time due to a forearm strain.He has gone 1-3 with a 3.75 ERA in 11 career meetings, including eight starts, with the Angels.Anderson has never gone head-to-head with Angels rookie Shohei Ohtani, who got on base three times via a single and two walks in Tuesday’s game.The left-handed-hitting Ohtani has made only 15 starts against left-handed pitchers this season, but he came through with a key single against A’s lefty reliever Ryan Buchter in the Angels’ six-run sixth inning in the series opener.He had been hitting only .205 against left-handers at the time of that at-bat.Mike Trout homered in the win, his 35th of the season.While he basically has no chance of catching the A’s Khris Davis (43) for the AL home run crown, Trout is shooting for his second 40-homer season.If he makes it, chances are he’ll have to do more damage against Oakland pitching. The Angels and A’s not only meet twice more in this series, but also close the regular season with a three-game set in Anaheim.