The Game 2 of the American League Championship Series was for the Boston Red Sox, who not only beat Houston Astros 9-5 but they also became the first team in MLB postseason history to hit two grand slams in a single game, according to ESPN Stats.
In the first inning, J.D. Martinez hit a grand slam and in the second Rafael Devers hit another, despite an injured forearm. With this win, the Red Sox and the Astros are tied 1-1 in the series, which will be decided at best in seven, to determine the AL representative in the World Series.
On Saturday, the Red Sox also became just the fourth team ever (postseason or regular season) to hit a grand slam in each of the first two innings. It also marked the first time since 2008 that the Red Sox have hit multiple grand slams in a game.
J.D. Martinez shut down critics
After losing the first game, the Red Sox came back stronger to equalize the series. Also, if there were any concerns over the state of form of J.D. Martinez, there’s no doubt that he put them to rest. And then, Devers completed the historic night.
In the opening, following Alex Verdugo’s two-out walk to load the bases, Martinez capped the first-inning rally by launching an opposite-field grand slam off Houston starter Luis Garcia, providing a 4-0 lead at Minute Maid Park.
With the series tied 1-1, now the teams need to get at least three wins for the remaining five games. The games 3,4 and 5 (if necessary) will be at Fenway, so now the Red Sox will have home-field advantage. This season, the Red Sox are 52-32 in home games, counting the playoffs.
