Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Lucas Giolito follows through on a pitch during a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Sunday, Aug. 3, 2025, in Boston (AP Photo/Jim Davis)
Houston Astros center fielder Taylor Trammell, right, can’t make the catch on a fourth inning double hit by Boston Red Sox’s Roman Anthony, not pictured, during a baseball game, Sunday, Aug. 3, 2025, in Boston. Astros left fielder Mauricio Dubonn is at left. (AP Photo/Jim Davis)
Houston Astros batter Carlos Correa hits a home run in the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Sunday, Aug. 3, 2025, in Boston (AP Photo/Jim Davis)
Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Lucas Giolito gets high fives in the dugout after the top of the eighth inning during a baseball game against the Houton Astros, Sunday, August 3, 2025, in Boston (AP Photo/Jim Davis).
Boston Red Sox centerfielder Ceddanne Rafaela can’t make the catch on a first inning double hit by the Houston Astros’ Jesus Sanchez during a baseball game, Sunday, Aug. 3, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Jim Davis)
Top of the Morning: Red Sox beat sloppy Astros 6-1 behind Lucas Giolito’s stellar start
BOSTON (AP) — Trevor Story and Ceddanne Rafaela had consecutive RBI singles in a six-run fourth inning filled with five Houston mistakes, Lucas Giolito pitched a season-high eight stellar innings, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Astros 6-1 on Sunday to complete a series sweep.
Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Lucas Giolito follows through on a pitch during a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Sunday, Aug. 3, 2025, in Boston (AP Photo/Jim Davis)
BOSTON (AP) — Trevor Story and Ceddanne Rafaela had consecutive RBI singles in a six-run fourth inning filled with five Houston mistakes, Lucas Giolito pitched a season-high eight stellar innings, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Astros 6-1 on Sunday to complete a series sweep.
Connor Wong added a sacrifice fly and Wilyer Abreu was credited with a sacrifice on a safety squeeze for an RBI during the inning, sending Boston to its third straight win over the AL West leaders and fourth in a row overall.
Giolito (8-2) gave up the run on three hits with four strikeouts and a walk, eclipsing his previous season-high innings of 7 2/3 on July 4.
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW
Carlos Correa, at the trade deadline, hit a homer for Houston, which has lost eight of 10.
The game’s first pitch was 11:38 a.m. EDT, the third time this season the Red Sox began a game in the morning. The others: their when they beat the White Sox and the Independence Day
Framber Valdez (11-5) gave up six runs, four earned, over six innings, ending his personal 10-game winning streak. He entered 10-0 with a 1.84 ERA in his previous 14 starts.
Key moment
During the fourth, Houston missed a cutoff on Story’s run-scoring single, Valdez had a wild pitch, balked home a run and had Abreu’s bunt go under his glove for an error. Yainer Diaz had a passed ball.
Key stat
Valdez hadn’t allowed three runs in an inning since May 19.
Up next
Astros: RHP Jason Alexander (1-1, 7.36 ERA) is slated to start the opener of a three-game series at the Marlins on Monday.
Red Sox: RHP Brayan Bello (7-5, 3.19) is set to start the first of three against the Royals on Monday.
To join the conversation set a first and last name in your user profile.
Sign in or register for free to join the Conversation