• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Red Sox try to stay in win column against Astros

Aug 16, 2014 - 2:47 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Boston Red Sox will try to keep the momentum rolling as they host the Houston Astros for the third contest in a four-game series at Fenway Park on Saturday.

The Red Sox, who are in the midst of a consecutive 16-game stretch without a day off -- the first 13 matchups at Fenway -- are trying to maintain their success in the month of August, where they've suffered consecutive losses only once.

Houston will send pitcher Brad Peacock to the mound for Saturday's start. Peacock hasn't been as efficient as the 'Stros would have liked this season, entering the matchup with a 3-8 record and a 5.25 earned run average. He's struck out 86 batters and has walked 53 in 21 appearances.

Peacock hasn't picked up a win since July 8. In four appearances since then, he's 0-3 with his latest outing (his first start in the majors since July 23) resulting in a no-decision. Peacock logged five innings in which he gave up two runs -- one earned -- on seven hits with five strikeouts.

His only two starts against the Red Sox in his career haven't gone exactly the way he or the Astros would have liked. Peacock is 0-2 with a combined total of just 3 2/3 innings pitched. His ERA is 14.73 versus Boston after surrendering six runs, six walks and eight hits.

Peacock's counterpart for Boston will be Rubby De La Rosa, who is coming off a win over the heralded Angels last Sunday. De La Rosa is 4-4 on the season with a 3.21 ERA.

The win for De La Rosa snapped a bit of a drought, in which he went 0-2 in his previous three starts. De La Rosa lasted seven innings against Los Angeles, and surrendered one run on five hits while striking out eight batters. The Sox won, 3-1.

De La Rosa has appeared in three games against Houston in his short career, with only one of them being a start. He is 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA against the 'Stros, but has pitched exceptionally well at home this season. In five starts, the 25-year-old is 3-1 with a 1.97 ERA.

The two sides needed extra innings Friday night to help decide a winner, and in the 10th it was a Jake Marisnick ground-rule double to right that provided the winning run for Houston in a 5-3 decision.

Yoenis Cespedes started the scoring off for Boston with a two-run homer in the fourth inning - his 20th on the season - to give the Sox a 2-0 advantage. But Robbie Grossman single-handedly made that lead evaporate with an RBI single in the fifth and a solo home run in the seventh to knot the score.

Dallas Keuchel got the start for Houston and lasted seven innings after giving up three runs and striking out eight. Tony Sipp was tagged with the win for the Astros, while Craig Breslow got the loss for Boston.

"It's a huge credit to the players in that locker room and our staff," Astros manager Bo Porter said. "They worked extremely hard and we still have six weeks left to go in the season."

Jose Altuve entered Friday's game as the American League leader in batting average and hits, but went 0-for-5 on the night.

The loss for Boston snaps a four-game winning streak.