Red Sox 3 - 8 Astros
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Jul 21, 2015 - 6:28 AM The Houston Astros might be rejuvenated after a late swoon to end the season's first half, while the Boston Red Sox have quickly erased the progress they made just before the All-Star break.

These teams open a three-game series Tuesday night at Minute Maid Park with rookie hurlers on the mound.

Houston (51-43) won two of three over the weekend against Texas, including a 10-0 victory Sunday. The Astros are hoping to use that lopsided win as a launching point for an offense that produced two runs or fewer six times while dropping eight of nine before the Midsummer Classic.

Carlos Correa went 5 for 11 with a homer and four RBIs in the series. He had two hits and scored three runs Sunday while Preston Tucker was 3 for 5 with a home run and Luis Valbuena went 4 for 5 with four RBIs.

"The middle part of our order was about as good as you could ask," manager A.J. Hinch told MLB's official website. " ... It was a complete offense we've seen before from our team."

The Red Sox (42-51) dropped both ends of Monday's doubleheader against the Los Angeles Angels and were outscored 22-4 while being swept in four games. Dustin Pedroia, Mookie Betts and Hanley Ramirez were a combined 0 for 44 in the series with 11 strikeouts.

Their five straight losses are the most since a season-worst seven-game skid June 9-15.

"This was a disappointing series all the way around," manager John Farrell said. "We fully expected to come in and put together a better series than what played out."

Boston had pulled within six games of the AL's second wild-card spot by winning nine of 13 prior to the All-Star break, but now sits 8 1/2 back while tied with Seattle for the AL's worst record.

Perhaps the Red Sox can draw upon their success against the Astros earlier this month, when they scored 19 runs while taking two of three July 3-5. Pablo Sandoval was 5 for 14, improving to 16 for 45 (.356) over his last 11 matchups, and the Red Sox extended their all-time series advantage to 19-7. They've won eight of 12 meetings in Houston.

Vincent Velasquez (0-1, 3.94 ERA) rejoins Houston from Double-A Corpus Christi for his seventh start. He put forth one of his better performances his last time out July 7, giving up two runs over 6 1-3 innings against Cleveland, but was left out to dry by the offense in a 2-0 defeat.

Velasquez was sent back down afterward but didn't appear in a game.

"We wanted him to get a little bit of a break in his season and use the roster a little bit more freely when we knew he wasn't going to pitch for a while," Hinch said. "He's demonstrated his ability to help us up here with his arm strength and secondary pitches. He threw very well in Cleveland, so it's a good time to bring him back."

Brian Johnson, one of Boston's top prospects, is making his major league debut. The left-hander fills in for Clay Buchholz, who went on the disabled list with a strained right flexor tendon.

Johnson, a 27th-round selection in the 2009 draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers, is 8-6 with a 2.73 ERA in 15 starts for Triple-A Pawtucket but hasn't thrown since July 6.

"Some things fell into place because of the break," manager John Farrell told MLB's official website. "It wasn't something we did to get him an extended period."

Correa was 7 for 14 with two homers in the teams' first series.






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