Jackie Bradley Jr. lined a tie-breaking RBI single in the 12th inning after Houston’s Colby Rasmus hit a tying two-run homer off closer Craig Kimbrel in the ninth, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Astros 7-5 on Sunday night in a five-hour marathon.
Bradley singled with the bases loaded off Ken Giles (0-2). It was the first run the Red Sox had scored since Bradley belted the second of back-to-back RBI doubles with Ryan Hanigan in the third. Hanigan preceded Bradley’s 12th-inning hit with a 13-pitch walk.
Mookie Betts grounded into a force at home, and then Giles uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Hanigan to score.
Heath Hembree (1-0) pitched three scoreless innings and struck out Evan Gattis and Marwin Gonzalez with two on to end it.
Rasmus hit a 98 mph 0-1 fastball from Kimbrel out to right-center field to tie it 5-5. Rasmus had a tie-breaking grand slam in Houston’s 8-3 win over Boston on Saturday.
Carlos Correa doubled to set up Rasmus’ tying homer.
Pedroia finished a home run shy of the cycle. Hanigan, Betts, Hanley Ramirez and David Ortiz each added two hits in the five-hour marathon.
Gonzalez hit a solo home run in the second to cut the lead to 3-1. Correa and Jose Altuve each had two hits, but Altuve also had two errors, which contributed to four of Boston’s runs. It was the first time Altuve had two errors in a game since June 20, 2013.
Boston left-hander Henry Owens lasted 3 1/3 innings in his first start of the season, allowing three runs on five hits with four walks and four strikeouts.
Houston right-hander Scott Feldman was tagged for five runs – three earned runs – on eight hits with three strikeouts and four walks in 4 1/3 innings.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Red Sox: Xander Bogaerts, who was out of the lineup Saturday after getting hit by a pitch on his right wrist Friday, started and batted third, going 1 for 5 with a walk. … LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (dislocated right kneecap) will start Thursday for Class A Salem for his first rehab assignment.
Astros: RHP Lance McCullers (right shoulder soreness) threw what manager A.J. Hinch termed "like a half of a bullpen where he threw with a lot of energy and less pitches" on Sunday. McCullers will go to the Astros’ spring training facility in Florida to get more work in and could get into an extended spring training game before heading out to a rehab game. … C Max Stassi (left wrist surgery) will play in extended spring training games this week before possibly going out to a minor league affiliate for a rehab game.
LATE REWARD
A Red Sox fan holding an infant in one arm made a nifty grab with the other in the 12th inning. Pedroia fouled a ball off, and the fan – with a kid in his right arm and a glove on his left hand – reached out to snag a souvenir. Cameras captured the catch and ESPN’s national broadcast showed replays of it.
ROSTER MOVES
The Red Sox recalled Owens and RHP Pat Light from Triple-A Pawtucket before Sunday’s game. To make room for the pitchers, Boston optioned LHP Roenis Elias and RHP Noe Ramirez to Pawtucket.
UP NEXT
Red Sox: RHP Rick Porcello (3-0) will try to remain undefeated as the Red Sox start four straight games with the Braves on Monday in Atlanta.
Astros: RHP Doug Fister (1-2) will look to build on his last outing where he allowed two runs over six innings in a loss to Texas when the Astros start a three-game series Monday in Seattle.
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