Five Homer, Nine Run 2nd Inning Propels Astros to 13-4 Slaughter of the Boys from Bean Town.

Nathan Eovaldi is now officially the Astros’ favorite pitcher.

In 2018, while pitching for the Tampa Bay Rays, Eovaldi gave up consecutive home runs to Jose Altuve, George Springer, and Alex Bregman. Later that season Eovaldi was traded to the Boston Red Sox, and just before the Astros faced the Sox in the ALCS, Bregman trolled Eovaldi by playing a video loop of the three homers on Instagram.

Eovaldi got his revenge in Game 3 of the series, but tonight the Astros got the last laugh, tying an all-time major league record for most home runs in an inning with five to greet Eovaldi in the second inning after Eovaldi cruised through the first. It was all part of a nine-run inning that made the rest of the game almost an afterthought.

Yordan Alvarez led off with a home run to the left-field bleachers, followed by a two-run homer by Kyle Tucker, a solo shot by Jeremy Pena in his first game back from a knee injury, a three-run homer by Michael Brantley, and a two-run shot by Yuli Gurriel.

Meanwhile, somehow Jose Urquidy managed to make a nine-run cushion look insecure. He allowed 12 hits and home runs to Rafael Devers and J.D. Martinez to give the Red Sox a small sniff of catching up.

Although Urquidy got the win by making it through five innings he was lucky to allow only four runs. The Red Sox were only 2-13 with runners in scoring position and left eight runners on base while Urquidy was on the mound.

However, in the fourth inning, the Astros snuffed out the last sign of life for the Sox with a Kyle Tucker grand slam, his second homer of the game, and sixth RBI.

Rookie Seth Martinez followed Urquidy and gave the Astros bullpen a much-needed rest by shutting down the Sox with three scoreless innings.

Blake Taylor finished off the Sox to tie the series and give the Astros their 13th win in their last 15 games.

Tomorrow the Astros try to take the series with Luis Garcia on the mound against Nick Pivetta. Game time 5:10 CT.

Box score and videos HERE.