HOUSTON -- Chris Sale recorded just eight outs in the Red Sox’ 5-4 loss to the Astros in Game 1 of the ALCS on Friday, but the lefty was still upbeat about the progress he showed in the outing after back-to-back duds in his previous two starts.
Sale, who had allowed seven runs in 3 ⅓ innings (17.18 ERA) combined between the final game of the regular season against Washington and Game 2 of the ALDS against the Rays, posted a better line Friday, holding the Astros to a single run on five hits in 2 ⅔ innings. After a week spent working on fine-tuning his delivery, Sale said he was encouraged by how he felt on the mound.
“I think everything as a whole clicked a little bit better tonight,” Sale said. “My command was spotty at times, but when I really needed it, I could bear down and grab what I’ve been looking for.”
Sale threw 37 of his 61 pitches for strikes, maxing out at 97.5 mph with his fastball. He threw four changeups -- the pitch that had caused him the most trouble in recent weeks -- and felt more comfortable than he had in recent outings.
“All my pitches are a work in progress, but the changeups I threw tonight where exactly what I wanted to do, when I wanted to do it and where I wanted them to be,” Sale said. “That’s something I’ll be able to lean on a little bit more.”
Part of Sale’s focus since his last start has been getting more upright in his delivery because -- as he explained -- his front side has leaked out a bit too much, limiting the amount of drive he can get as he delivers the ball. While his Game 1 outing didn’t represent a finished product, there were signs of life that he’s returning to the old version of himself two months and one day after pitching for the first time in two years due to Tommy John surgery.
“I do believe he threw the ball a lot better, so he will be ready for his next one, and like I said, this guy, we count on him,” said manager Alex Cora. “I think he made some good strikes today.”
Like he has throughout the postseason, Cora managed his pitching staff uber-aggressively in the opener at Minute Maid Park. He came close to pulling Sale when Houston loaded the bases with one out in the second, but the lefty escaped by striking out Jose Altuve and getting Michael Brantley on a diving catch by Kiké Hernández. In the third, after Sale struck out Kyle Tucker for the second out, Cora called upon Adam Ottavino to face the right-handed Yuli Gurriel with two runners on. Ottavino needed three pitches to escape the jam as Gurriel grounded out to end the inning.
“(Sale) wants to go deeper in the game, but where we were bullpen-wise and the matchups that we had, we felt that that was the right time to take him out,” Cora said.
Despite the fact Sale was upbeat about his progress, he lamented the fact that his abbreviated outing put Boston’s bullpen in a treacherous spot against Houston’s potent offense. Sale departed with Boston leading 3-1, meaning Cora was asking for his relievers to record 19 outs to secure the win.
“I’ve got to get more outs,” Sale said. “There’s no way around that. When you’re asking your bullpen to go out there and throw seven innings and zeroes, that’s a lot. When you’re asking for four, three, sometimes, even five, it’s tough. I think next time out, I’ve got to get a little bit more length in there and give those guys a little bit more leniency. That’s a lot of game to throw zeroes up.”
That, of course, didn’t happen, as Jose Altuve tied the game with a two-run homer off Tanner Houck in the sixth inning and Carlos Correa put Houston ahead with a solo shot an inning later. Still, Sale didn’t disagree with Cora’s decision to pull him early.
“I heard (Alex Verdugo) say the other day, ‘(Cora) is playing chess. Others are playing checkers,’” Sale said. “I’m just a piece to his chess game, so whatever he needs me to do, that’s what I’m there for.”
Though Sale said he would “100 percent” be ready to pitch in relief in Game 2 on Saturday, it’s unlikely he’ll see the mound until Game 3 at the earliest. If his turn in the rotation comes around again against Houston, the lefty will take some positives from his performance Friday.
“I’ve been grinding. There’s no doubt,” Sale said. “There’s no hiding from it. I’ve been kicked around a little bit and that does something to me. I just keep grinding. I’ve got to keep sharpening my tools.”
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