Craig Breslow sat on his ass on Thursday, however Cooper Criswell certain didn’t. Nor did Roman Anthony, who collected his first profession walk-off hit to make it 4 walk-offs within the magical Metropolis Connects. I suppose the magic persists even in the event you combine in a bit blue (get it, as a result of the jerseys are inexperienced now they usually was yellow).
As a proud OG Huge Crisp™ stan, I really feel very proud to be penning this recap after he principally single-handedly stored the Pink Sox within the sport for seven innings (okay, some good protection helped as nicely). I’m a proud witness of his solely different profession begin through which he went a minimum of seven innings, and tonight’s efficiency was nearly a replica of his outing at Coors.
7/23/2024: 7 IP, 6 H, 0 ER, BB, 4 Ok
8/01/2025: 7 IP, 7 H, ER, 2 BB, 4 Ok
Whereas these aren’t field scores of dominance, there’s simply one thing a few pitcher who can permit an unnervingly excessive variety of hits whereas additionally preserving the opponents off the board, and I’m good with that each evening. Criswell’s solely blemish of the outing was Christian Walker’s solo dwelling run within the second inning, however he didn’t let that get him down — so good for him!
Sadly for Boston, Houston’s starter, Hunter Brown, was simply as sharp, and much more so from a field rating perspective, as he threw 6.1 innings of shutout ball. However Masataka Yoshida made himself helpful for the primary time in a bit by drawing a HBP to begin the seventh and was ultimately pushed in by Wilyer Abreu by way of sacrifice fly to get Boston evened up heading into the ultimate two innings. Abreu had the prospect to increase his heroism on the evening as he got here as much as the plate with two runners on and two outs within the backside of the ninth, however after just a few shut name foul balls, ended up placing out to carry us some free baseball after the off day.
Astros rookie Cam Smith, a key piece within the Kyle Tucker commerce over the offseason, began the tenth with a productive at bat, hitting a tough line drive to advance the ghost runner to 3rd with just one out. Trevor Story saved the day after a ninth inning double with a strong throw dwelling on a groundball from Mauricio Dubon, and whereas it wasn’t essentially something spectacular, was nonetheless impressively basic.
Ceddanne Rafaela began Boston’s half of the tenth together with his personal type of productiveness, as Abreu ran out the throw at third on Rafaela’s swinging bunt, placing runners on the nook with no outs. This arrange our superb king Roman Anthony for his first profession walk-off, as he put collectively a powerful at bat after falling behind 0-2 and shedding a pair of sliders earlier than getting a fastball down the center which he drove over the pinnacle of Chas McCormick in centerfield. What an exquisite strategy to finish a curler coaster of every week, and what an exquisite reminder that, even after we could also be pissed on the management of the staff, baseball continues to be superior.
Three studs
Cooper Criswell
As I mentioned earlier than, I’ll take a 7 inning, 7 hit, 1 ER begin any day of the week, and it’s much more spectacular coming from somebody who hasn’t pitched within the majors in practically a month with one other month-long break coming earlier than that.
Roman Anthony
He’s nice at baseball, places collectively at bats that youngsters needs to be pressured to observe whereas studying learn how to hit, and loves town of Boston, what extra might you ask for?
Wilyer Abreu/Trevor Story
Abreu’s ninth inning strikeout was a bit devastating, however hey, he did have one in all simply two RBIs on the evening in spite of everything. Story began that rally within the ninth and made a fast choice within the tenth to maintain the Astros off the board, to allow them to share these honors for a pair of strong performances in a non-eye-popping sport.
Three duds
Though it was a low-scoring sport, nobody fairly turned in a dud-ish efficiency tonight outdoors of a slumping Abraham Toro and Rafaela, who went 0-for-4 however was key within the tenth. Jarren Duran struck out twice however did one thing good within the outfield (surprising), Yoshida solely hit into one groundball out (yay!), and Narvaez had a powerful again choose to get him in some good graces.
Play of the sport
It needs to be the walk-off, in fact! And an impressively good interview afterward on nationwide (?) tv coming from a 21-year-old.
