Luis Garcia Shuts Down Bosox. Astros Take Game 2, 5-1

Astros grab second straight from the Sox at home

Luis Garcia, whose minor league career topped out at A ball, just keeps getting better and better.

In his previous game, he reached a career-high six innings allowing just one run. Today he topped himself, going seven innings of one-run ball, again allowing only one run.

Bad fielding was the reason for the one run…his own.

In the sixth inning, he failed to cover first base in a timely fashion, and the runner was safe, ruled a hit. That runner, Hunter Renfroe, would later score, the only run Garcia allowed.

For the night Garcia allowed five hits, two of them infield variety, got six strikeouts, and gave up only one walk. Out of 106 pitches, Garcia had 68 strikes, 19 of them whiffs.

Once again Jose Altuve led off the game for the Astros with a home run, this one crushed 435 feet at an exit velo of 107 MPH.

The Astros added another run in the fourth when Chas McCormick sacrificed Yordan Alvarez, who doubled off the wall in right field to lead off the inning.

The Astros added three runs in the seventh on a lucky series of infield hits, walks, and errors. The inning started with a clean single by Kyle Tucker, his third of the night and his second three-hit night in a row. His BA is now at an even .250…and rising rapidly.

McCormick hit a hard grounder to third, but Rafael Devers threw the ball away, allowing Tucker to score. Another run scored on a Correa walk, and the third run scored on an Alvarez swinging bunt single.

Brooks Raley and Ryne Stanek closed out the eighth and ninth innings respectively both tossing perfect innings.

This was the sixth straight game in which Astros starting pitching has allowed exactly one run.

Same time tomorrow.

Framber Valdez gets his second start of the year against Nick Pivetta.

Box Score and videos HERE.