The Boston Red Sox and Houston Astros played the middle game of their three-game series tonight at Daikin Park in Houston, TX. Brayan Bello made his first start of the season as he went up against Houston’s ace in Hunter Brown, who is making his second start of the season.
Boston Red Sox Starting Lineup
LF – Roman Anthony
SS – Trevor Story
DH – Masataka Yoshida
1B – Willson Contreras
RF – Wilyer Abreu
3B – Andruw Monasterio
2B – Marcelo Mayer
C – Connor Wong
CF – Ceddanne Rafaela
RHP – Brayan Bello
Houston Astros Starting Lineup
SS – Jeremy Pena
DH – Yordan Alvarez
2B – Jose Altuve
3B – Carlos Correa
1B – Christian Walker
LF – Joey Loperfido
RF – Cam Smith
C – Yainer Diaz
CF – Jake Meyers
RHP – Hunter Brown
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Red Sox vs. Astros
First Three
The Red Sox finally got a base-runner in the first. It came with two outs as Masataka Yoshida drew a walk. Willson Contreras lined out to end the inning. Jeremy Pena led off the first with a first-pitch single off Brayan Bello. Bello, the next batter, Yordan Alvarez hit a deep fly ball to center that hit off the wall, scoring Pena to make it 1-0 Astros. It was Alvarez’s second double of the season. The Red Sox went down in order in the second and third with Hunter Brown striking out the side in the third. In the third, after two quick outs, Jose Altuve drew a walk, then Carlos Correa hit a ground rule double before Christian Walker dropped both home with a single, and Correa just beat the throw home. Bello would retire Joey Loperfido to end the third.
Middle Three
The Red Sox in the fourth continued to be no-hit. The Astros went down in order, then in the fifth, the Red Sox finally got on the board. After two quick outs, Marcelo Mayer drew a walk, and Connor Wong doubled home Mayer to make it 3-1. Brown would strand Wong as he struck out Ceddanne Rafaela to end the fifth. The Astros would make it a three-run game once again as Alvarez, for the second straight night, hit a home run.
The Astros weren’t done in the fifth after recording the second out. Carlos Correa walked, Christian Walker doubled, moving Correa to third. Loperfido drove home Correa on a single, then Loperfido, trying to steal second, had an errant throw, allowing Walker to score. It was now 6-1 Astros. Bello then walked Cam Smith, and Bello’s night was over. He went 4.2 innings, allowing six runs on eight hits; he walked three and struck out two. Ryan Watson came in and got the final out of the inning. The Red Sox went down in order in the sixth. The Astros loaded the bases in the sixth, but Correa once again tormented the Red Sox with a two-RBI single to make it 8-1.
Last Three
Brown’s night was over to start the seventh. Cody Bolton replaced Brown. Brown went six innings, allowing a run on six hits; he walked two and struck out eight. Jovani Moran got the seventh for the Red Sox, and he allowed a solo home run to the first batter he faced in Cam Smith. He sent down the Astros for the rest of the inning. In the eighth, the Red Sox got one back with a Ceddanne Rafaela solo home run to make it 9-2. The Astros went in order in the eighth, and the Red Sox did as well in the ninth as they dropped their fourth straight game.
Player of the Game
Hunter Brown, the Astros ace, stifled the Red Sox bats. He was dominant, going six innings in his second start, and his ERA went to 0.88 after this with 17 strikeouts now on the season.
Next Up:
The Red Sox and Astros wrap up their series tomorrow. They will have Garrett Crochet on the mound, making his second start of the 2026 season. The Astros counter with Mike Burrows, who is also making his second start of the season. First pitch is at 2:10 PM EST.
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