Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Houston Astros (1-2) at Boston Red Sox (2-1)
RHP Zach Greinke (0-0, -.–) vs. RHP Nick Pivetta (0-0, -.–)
Game 4 – 8:08 p.m. ET – Fenway Park – FS1
Can the Astros rebound after a 12-3 drubbing the night before?
The Astros have yet to have a starting pitcher throw three innings in this series. Framber Valdez lasted 2.2 innings, Luis Garcia went one inning, and Jose Urquidy went 1.2 innings. Now they turn the ball over to Zack Greinke, who has not made a start since September 19.
Grienke gets to face the hottest bats in baseball and hopes to prevent any more grand slams by the barrage of Kyle Schwarber, Enrique Hernandez, Rafael Devers, and Xander Bogaerts.
Nick Pivetta makes his first start of the postseason but he threw 8.2 innings in two games against the Tampa Bay Rays in the division series. He allowed three runs and struck out 11.
The top of Houston’s batting order has struggled to reach base across the first three games. Jose Altuve is batting .083, Michael Brantley .167, and Alex Bregman .167. With an already taxed bullpen, the Astros may be staring the end of their season square in the face if those three can’t turn it around.
