Boston Red Sox vs. Houston Astros RECAP, SCORE & STATS, ALCS Game 4

Boston Red Sox's Jackie Bradley Jr., right, watches his grand slam off Houston Astros relief pitcher Roberto Osuna during the eighth inning in Game 3 of a baseball American League Championship Series on Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2018, in Houston.(AP Photo | Lynne Sladky)

The Boston Red Sox, leading 2-1 in the best of seven American League Championship Series, met the Houston Astros in Game 4 on Wednesday, October 17, 2018 (10/17/18) at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas.

Rick Porcello will be the starting pitcher for the Red Sox against Charlie Morton for the Astros.

Check the scoreboard above for the final score and click on the stats link for game stats.

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Here's the AP recap:

HOUSTON (AP) -- Left fielder Andrew Benintendi made a diving catch with the bases loaded for the final out, and the Boston Red Sox held off the Houston Astros 8-6 Wednesday night to take a 3-1 lead in the AL Championship Series.

Boosted by a questionable fan interference call and another home run from Jackie Bradley Jr. in a gripping, back-and-forth game, the Red Sox moved within one victory of their first World Series trip since winning the 2013 title.

Craig Kimbrel earned a shaky six-out save, aided by a rocket throw from right fielder Mookie Betts and Benintendi's daring grab of Alex Bregman's sinking liner in left. Had the ball scooted past a charging Benintendi, it easily could have scored three runs and won the game for Houston.

Instead, the Red Sox improved to 4-0 on the road in these playoffs and inched closer to eliminating the defending World Series champions.

Game 5 is Thursday night in Houston, where ace Justin Verlander will pitch for the Astros with their season on the line. David Price, who was warming up in the bullpen late in Game 4, will start for Boston on three days' rest after Chris Sale was ruled out Wednesday while recovering from a stomach illness.

Bradley hit a go-ahead homer in the sixth inning, his latest huge swing for a Red Sox team that was knocked out of the postseason by Houston in the Division Series last year.

Boston has won three straight after a Game 1 loss, and this one came with some controversy after Houston star Jose Altuve was denied a two-run homer in the first inning because of fan interference.

Boston trailed by one with two outs in the sixth when Christian Vazquez doubled to deep right-center. Center fielder George Springer nearly made a leaping catch, but the ball glanced off his glove.

Bradley, who hit a grand slam in Game 3 and a three-run double in Game 2, put the Red Sox on top 6-5 with his soaring shot to right field on the next pitch from rookie Josh James.

Boston got some insurance in the seventh when Lance McCullers walked in a run after taking over for Ryan Pressly with the bases loaded and two outs. J.D. Martinez padded the lead further with an RBI single in the eighth.

Houston cut the lead to two on an RBI groundout by Altuve in the eighth.

Red Sox starter Rick Porcello allowed seven hits and four runs over four innings in a wild game that took 4 hours, 33 minutes. Joe Kelly was the winner after giving up a run in the fifth.

Rafael Devers and Xander Bogaerts had two RBIs apiece for the Red Sox, who have outscored their opponents 36-12 on the road this postseason.

Houston's Carlos Correa, who has struggled with back problems for months, had three hits and two RBIs for his first multihit game this postseason. Springer and Tony Kemp each hit a solo homer for the Astros, who left 13 runners on base.

A rusty Charlie Morton gave up three hits, three runs and two walks in just 2 1/3 innings. He also threw two wild pitches in his first outing for the Astros since the regular-season finale on Sept. 30.

James took over and yielded four hits and three runs while striking out five in 3 2/3 innings during his second postseason appearance.

Morton had trouble with control from the start and plunked Betts before a one-out walk to Martinez. A wild pitch allowed both runners to advance before a two-out single by Devers sent them both home to give the Red Sox two runs in the first inning for the third straight game.

The disputed home run call came in the bottom of the inning when umpires ruled at least one fan interfered with Betts' attempt at a leaping catch above the right-field wall on the ball hit by Altuve.

Crew chief Joe West, working the right-field line, signaled fan interference after Betts was unable to make the grab and the ball ricocheted back onto the field.

The call stood after a replay review that lasted 3 minutes, 13 seconds. Altuve was ruled out and Springer was sent back to first base.

Houston manager AJ Hinch moved Bregman up to the leadoff spot from third after the Red Sox walked him seven times in the first three games. The shake-up didn't help the Astros, though, as Bregman went 0 for 5 and was hit by a pitch.

Springer got the Astros within a run when he sent Porcello's first pitch of the third inning into the seats in right field. Unlike Altuve's, this one was a no-doubter, sailing about seven rows into the stands into a pocket of about four fans wearing Red Sox jerseys.

Altuve followed with a double that clanged off the wall in left field. Last year's AL MVP, who has been Houston's designated hitter as he deals with a bruised knee, grimaced as he slid into second on the play and was limping after he got to his feet.

Josh Reddick tied the game at 3 with two outs when he singled to shallow left-center to score Altuve, who still looked uncomfortable as he trotted home.

Kemp gave Houston its first lead when he knocked a slider from Porcello over the wall in the right-field corner in the fourth.

Benintendi's second double came in the fifth and he scored on a two-out single by Bogaerts to tie it at 4.

Correa's run-scoring single made it 5-4 in the bottom of the inning.

UP NEXT

Verlander is 6-1 with a 2.44 ERA in eight postseason appearances for the Astros. He allowed two hits and two runs over six innings for the win in Houston's 7-2 victory in Game 1 at Fenway Park.

Here's what you need to know:

Who: Red Sox vs. Astros

What: ALCS, game 4

Where: Minute Maid Park, Houston

When: Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2018

Time: 8:39 p.m. Eastern

TV: TBS

Livestream: fuboTVWatch TBS

Line: Astros -125

Houston hopes Morton won't be too rusty when he makes his 2018 playoff debut in Game 4 of the AL Championship Series against Boston. Morton, who spent time on the disabled list late in the year with shoulder discomfort, hasn't pitched since the regular-season finale Sept. 30.

Porcello starts for the Red Sox after appearing in relief in Game 2. Boston leads 2-1 after a grand slam by Jackie Bradley Jr., his second big hit in the series, broke open an 8-2 victory in Game 3.

A look at what's happening around the majors today:

ONE LAST LOOK?

Kershaw starts Game 5 of the NL Championship Series at home against Milwaukee in what could conceivably be his final outing in a Los Angeles Dodgers uniform.

The three-time Cy Young Award winner can opt out of the last two years and $70 million remaining on his contract after the World Series. Dodgers ownership has made it clear the team would like its longtime ace to stay.

"I have not made a decision," Kershaw said Tuesday.

The 30-year-old lefty acknowledged after his last regular-season start that he had considered the possibility of it being his last go-round with the Dodgers, the only team he's played for during his big league career.

Miley pitches for Milwaukee on three days' rest, with the best-of-seven series tied at two games apiece.

"For me it's just trying to focus as much as I possibly can on the Brewers and getting ready," Kershaw said, "and putting everything else on the back burner as best I possibly can."

SPYGATE, THE SEQUEL

The Houston Astros might find themselves defending more than their World Series title. The champions are under scrutiny after Cleveland filed a complaint to Major League Baseball about a man associated with Houston attempting to film in the Indians' dugout during Game 3 of the AL Division Series last week, according to a person familiar with the situation.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday night because of the sensitivity of the matter.

MLB also says it is aware of a report by Metro Boston that a man claiming to be an Astros employee was removed from a credentialed area near the Red Sox dugout during the AL Championship Series opener at Fenway Park.

In a statement, MLB said the matter "will be handled internally" and offered no other details.

Astros manager AJ Hinch was questioned about the Metro report following Tuesday's game and said he was aware of the alleged incident but said he hadn't been briefed. He's certain to be asked again, especially since the Indians' complaint was not reported until after Hinch had finished his postgame remarks.

EXTRA REST

GETTING DIRTY

Tensions could be on the rise in the NLCS after Dodgers slugger Manny Machado stepped into trouble again Tuesday night.

Both benches emptied after Machado clipped the back leg of Milwaukee first baseman Jesus Aguilar while running out a groundout in Game 4. Aguilar left his foot on the base for a moment after Machado was already out, and the star shortstop appeared to show his displeasure by bringing his left foot forward and kicking Aguilar on the back of the leg. Aguilar looked annoyed and the two exchanged words, but no punches were thrown.

"He's a player that has a history of those types of incidents," Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich said about Machado. "It's a dirty play by a dirty player."

Aguilar, however, said the two talked it out after Machado singled in the 13th inning.

"We're family. Things happen," said Machado, who scored the winning run moments later. "He's a great guy. We go way back since the minor leagues."

HELP WANTED

Milwaukee is expected to add a new arm for the rest of the NLCS after starter Gio Gonzalez left Game 4 in the second inning when he twisted his ankle trying to field Yasiel Puig's infield single.

Gonzalez has a high ankle sprain and it's likely he'll need to be replaced on the roster, manager Craig Counsell said. Following the injury to Gonzalez, the Brewers burned through much of their bullpen during a 2-1 loss to the Dodgers in 13 innings.

"We'll have to kind of put our heads together and look at what we've got," Counsell said. "We're in a little bit of a tough spot, for sure."

(The AP contributed to this report.)

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