BOSTON — Considering how well his bullpen has pitched since getting reinforced with the additions of Lucas Sims and Luis García at the trade deadline and Chris Martin in his return from the injured list earlier this week, Red Sox manager Alex Cora didn’t hesitate to go to his bullpen after just 82 pitches from starter Tanner Houck on Friday night. Though that plan backfired, the manager considered it a no-brainer to turn to Sims with a 3-1 lead in the seventh.
“Come on, bro,” said Cora when asked if he considered sending Houck out for the seventh. “We’ve been talking about our bullpen for a while but where we’re at right now, he has been getting hit after 80 pitches. In that situation, it was the bullpen.”
Houck navigated traffic and a bit of command trouble to allow just one run and four hits (while issuing three walks) in six generally strong innings in the opener of a six-game homestand Friday night. But considering how the righty had seemed to fade late in recent starts and was about to face the top of Houston’s order for the fourth time in the game, Cora wanted a fresh look up 3-1. Sims came on to face the No. 8 hitter, Jake Meyers, and promptly allowed a lead-off triple. Two batters later, Jose Altuve tied the game with a two-run shot off one of the signs above the Green Monster.
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“The little man got a sweeper in his nitro zone and that’s what he does,” Cora said.
With just one out, Sims allowed a single to Alex Bregman before Yordan Alvarez laced a fourth hit off him, chasing him from the game. At that point, it became something of a fire drill for Cora, who turned to Zack Kelly to replace Sims despite Kelly throwing just a couple of warm-up pitches in the bullpen. Houston ambushed Kelly, too, hitting three straight singles in the span of nine pitches to take a 5-3 lead. In all, Houston’s offense had seven hits in its four-run seventh, including five straight singles. The Astros never trailed again and won, 8-4.
“We’ve been talking about this since the trading deadline,” Cora said. “We’re getting healthy and we’ve got arms. It didn’t happen today. I’ve always said that’s a fast-break offense. When they get going, they get going.
“It just happens quick. They do a good job putting the ball in play, hitting the ball hard early in counts. They’re very aggressive and today we didn’t do the job.”
In total, four Boston relievers combined to allow seven runs on 12 hits in just three total innings. Sims was tagged with four earned runs while García (one) and Cam Booser (two) saw their ERAs rise as well. It was the eighth time since the All-Star break that the group has blown a save but just the first since the July 30 deadline.
The implosion ruined a strong start from Houck, who entered with a 6.16 ERA in his last six starts dating back to June 29. Houck and Cora both thought the righty made strides.
“It was a good one. He gave us six, pitched out of trouble,” Cora said. “A few walks here and there but I think the pitch usage was really good. His sinker played tonight. Got some ground balls and did an amazing job.”
“I think I made really good in-game adjustments,” Houck said. “Early on, struggled with the command a little bit but ultimately, was able to bounce back and make the pitches when I needed to. All in all, a great game to look back and learn from and continue to grow.”
Houck’s six-inning start brought him to 140 innings through 23 starts this season. That’s significantly higher, already, than his previous big league career-high of 106, which he set in 2023. Taking care of Houck down the stretch is top of mind for the Red Sox, but Cora said it wasn’t a consideration Friday.
“It was more about taking care of the game,” Cora said. “He gave us enough … They put pressure on him the whole night but six innings is really good and we didn’t do the job at the end.”
