Astros 8, Red Sox 3: Rasmus' grand slam lifts Astros

The Houston Astros need a spark to get out of their rut after losing four straight games. Colby Rasmus provided an explosion in the fifth inning the Astors needed, hitting a grand slam on the way to an 8-3 win over the Boston Red Sox on Saturday.

At the start of the game, everything appeared to be following the same script with the struggling Astros. Mookie Betts, Dustin Pedroia, and David Ortiz reached on a pair of singles and a walk. Ortiz drove in Betts for the first run of the game.

The Red Sox had runners on the corners and no one out. Astros starter Mike Fiers buckled down and retired the next three batters he faced.

Fiers would retire 12 of the 13 batters he faced in order -- minus an infield single to Dustin Pedroia in the third.

The Astros tied the game in the second following a Marwin Gonzalez single and Luis Valbuena double. Jason Castro grounded into a fielder's choice, allowing Gonzalez to score.

The Astros loaded the bases in the fifth. Rasmus stepped to the plate with Clay Buchholtz on the mound. Buchholtz threw two straight curveballs for strikes to make the count 2-2. Buchholtz attempted to slip a fastball by Rasmus, who deposited the pitch into the right-field stands for a grand slam.

Pedroia had Fiers squared up. Pedroia led off the sixth with a double, leading to the Red Sox loading the bases. Brock Holt hit a sacrifice fly to score Pedroia -- that was the only damage.

The Red Sox added another run in the eighth, but the Astros answered back. Houston scored three runs on a Gonzalez, Luis Valbuena, Jose Altuve, and Rasmus doubles.

Fiers' line finished at 5 1/3 inning with two runs allowed on five hits and two walks.