MLB Playoffs Top Plays: Red Sox stun Rays; White Sox avoid sweep by Astros
The ALDS provided plenty of drama — and controversy — on Sunday.
The Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox started things off at Fenway Park, and Game 3 delivered everything that makes playoff baseball great, including high drama, extra innings, a controversial call and a walk-off homer by Christian Vázquez to give Boston a 6-4 victory and a 2-1 series lead.
In the night game, the Chicago White Sox staved off elimination against the Houston Astros, exploding for a dozen runs in a 12-6 victory to avoid being swept.
Here are the top plays from Sunday's games.
Chicago White Sox 12, Houston Astros 6 (Houston leads series 2-1)
History
Tim Anderson has been one of the most dominant hitters in baseball the past three seasons, and that has trickled into the postseason, with Anderson recording 14 hits in his first seven postseason games.
Back against the wall
Two outs didn't faze Eloy Jiménez when he came up to bat in the bottom of the first inning, as he recorded an RBI to get the White Sox on the board first.
Taking off
The Astros found their footing offensively in the second inning, thanks to the bats of Kyle Tucker and Jake Meyers, who provided three runs and the lead.
No let-up
In the top of the third, Tucker continued his torrid pace with a two-run home run to push the Astros' lead to 5-1.
In six at-bats in the series, Tucker has recorded two home runs and seven RBIs.
The climb back
The Astros pounced on the White Sox early, but in the bottom of the third, Chicago began to chip away at Houston's lead, thanks to a two-run homer by Yasmani Grandal.
That was the beginning of a five-run inning for the White Sox that put them ahead 6-5.
Responding
The Astros had been on the offensive early, so after they fell behind, it was time for them to respond once again.
This time, Alex Bregman was the man bringing in a run to even the game 6-6.
More runs!
Chicago's offense showed no signs of letting up in the bottom of the fourth, continuing to pour in the runs.
But this time, it wasn't without controversy, and Grandal was in the center of it after he was hit by the throw home while running to first.
Grandal was not called out for blocking the throw, which allowed a run to score for the Sox and Grandal to reach base safely.
When the smoke cleared at the end of the inning, the White Sox had added three runs to their total with the help of Leury García and José Abreu to take a 9-6 lead.
For good measure
In the bottom of the eighth inning, the White Sox tacked on two more runs to give themselves a six-run lead heading into the ninth.
First, Andrew Vaughn recorded a pinch-hit RBI single before García continued his hot night with an RBI double.
And for the final run, Anderson delivered an RBI-single to bring the White Sox run count to 12 on the night.
With the offensive explosion the White Sox fended off elimination and lived to fight another day, securing their first win of the series.
Boston Red Sox 6, Tampa Bay Rays 4 (Boston leads series 2-1)
Starting with a bang
The top seed in the AL struck first in the opening inning, courtesy of a long home run from Austin Meadows.
Meadows jumped on the first pitch he saw, smacking a 97-mph fastball from Nathan Eovaldi, depositing it in right field and bringing in Wander Franco to make it 2-0.
Monster Mash
Kyle Schwarber answered for the hosts in the bottom of the first, belting a solo bomb over the Green Monster.
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Kiké Hernández followed with a single, but Rasmussen shook off the early troubles and retired the following three Sox to keep the score 2-1 after the first.
You glove to see it
Franco flashed some leather in the bottom of the second, initiating a double play to end any designs on a Red Sox rally.
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Cashing in
The Red Sox capitalized in the third inning, taking the lead and chewing through a few Rays pitchers.
Hernandez tied the score with a single, ending Rasmussen's day.
Then Rafael Devers got to Josh Fleming to bring in Schwarber and give Boston a 3-2 advantage.
Fleming got Xander Bogaerts to strike out and Alex Verdugo to ground out before giving way on the mound to Andrew Kittredge, who got the final out of the third.
Totally redeemed himself
After committing a throwing error in the top of the third, Schwarber celebrated after getting the job done with a feed to Eovaldi to get the first out of the fourth.
Not only did he pump his fist, but he also doffed his cap to the Red Sox faithful.
Never take a routine play for granted!
The hottest of hot
Hernández has been nothing but a thorn in the side of Rays pitchers, with a hit in six consecutive at-bats before he stepped up in the bottom of the fifth.
Well, make that seven consecutive hits — and a 4-2 lead for the BoSox — with this 424-foot shot to left field.
His start to this ALDS has his name among some lofty company.
Putting on the pressure
After scoreless innings from both sides in the sixth and seventh innings, the fireworks resumed in the eighth. Franco drilled a 93-mph fastball from Hansel Robles to left to cut Tampa Bay's deficit to 4-3.
Meadows followed with a double to center, then moved to third on a groundout from Nelson Cruz. With two outs in the top of the eighth inning, Randy Arozarena delivered in the clutch to tie the score.
No pressure
The Red Sox and Rays found themselves in an extra-inning duel, and in the top of the 11th, Nick Pivetta got a crucial strikeout to end the inning and leave a runner stranded in scoring position for the Rays.
Defensive gem
The old adage that defense wins championships is applicable to baseball, as evidenced by this Gold Glove-worthy defensive play by Rays shortstop Wander Franco in the 12th.
Wild finish
In the top of the 13th, a ground-rule double for the Rays left runners stranded on second and third, preventing Tampa Bay from scoring the potential go-ahead run.
A hit that would have easily scored the go-ahead ended up just advancing the runner two basses, putting runners on second and third with two out. A strikeout ended the threat.
That proved extremely costly for the Rays, as Christian Vázquez stepped up in the bottom of the inning with a two-run home run to propel the Red Sox to a 6-4 victory and a 2-1 series lead.
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