BOSTON (AP) — Jarren Duran hit a three-run homer, Jake Bennett gave up a run over five innings to earn the victory in his major league debut and the Boston Red Sox beat the Houston Astros 3-1 on Friday night.
Struggling DH Roman Anthony had three hits for the Red Sox, who had lost the final two games of their just completed 3-3 road trip. He entered hitting .208.
Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy, who replaced fired manager Alex Cora last weekend,
got the victory in his first Fenway Park game.
Carlos Correa homered into the Green Monster seats and had three hits for Houston, which has lost five of its last seven games.
Bennett (1-0), a 25-year-old left-hander who was called up from Triple-A Worcester, gave up a run on five hits, striking out three and walking two. He fanned slugger Yordan Alvarez for his first big-league strikeout in the first inning.
Aroldis Chapman, the fourth reliever, got the final three outs for his sixth save, and 373rd of his career.
Astros starter Mike Burrows (1-4) gave up eight hits and three runs over six innings.
Duran homered over Boston’s bullpen, making it 3-1 in the third after Correa’s homer in the top half.
While the teams were taking batting practice, a small plane flew around Fenway pulling a banner imploring the Red Sox to fire chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and owner John Henry to sell the team.
The Astros swept the Red Sox in a three-game series in Houston during the first week of the season.
Astros RHP Spencer Arrighetti (3-0, 2.00 ERA) is set to face Red Sox LHP Connelly Early (2-1, 2.84) in the middle game of the three-game series on Saturday.
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