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David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox walk off in 11th

By Gethin Coolbaugh, The Sports Xchange
Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz tosses his bat. Photo by Ray Stubblebine/UPI
Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz tosses his bat. Photo by Ray Stubblebine/UPI | License Photo

BOSTON -- David Ortiz launched a game-winning RBI-double to deep center field in the bottom of the 11th inning and the Boston Red Sox walked off with a 6-5 win over the Houston Astros on Saturday at Fenway Park.

Ortiz also hit a solo home run and an RBI -- triple his first three-bagger since 2013 and the 19th of his career -- while Xander Bogaerts, Travis Shaw and Mookie Betts each drove in a run for the Red Sox (23-14), who bounced back after Friday's 7-6 defeat.

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Houston led 5-4 before Ortiz drove a pitch from Astros closer Luke Gregerson past the grasp of diving center fielder Jake Marisnick for his triple with two out in the ninth to tie the score, but Hanley Ramirez's botched bunt attempt forced extra innings.

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Bogaerts slapped a two-out, opposite-field single in the 11th and advanced to second on a wild pitch to set up Ortiz's heroics off Houston's Michael Feliz (1-1).

Jackie Bradley Jr. extended his career-high and major league-leading hitting streak to 19 games.

Clay Buchholz escaped with no decision, allowing five runs on seven hits and three walks while fanning five over six innings for Boston.

Koji Uehara (2-1) gave up a hit and a walk and struck out two in an inning.

George Springer hit his second career grand slam and Carlos Correa also socked a solo home run for Houston (15-23).

Collin McHugh lasted six innings for the Astros, giving up four runs and 10 hits and three walks while striking out two.

Correa evoked a groan from the Fenway fans in the first inning when he smoked a Buchholz fastball an estimated 454 feet over the Green Monster in left field for a solo home run.

Boston struck for two in the bottom of the frame, when Bogaerts clubbed a ground-rule double that Marisnick lost in the sun, and Shaw drew a bases-loaded walk.

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Springer's slam in the third spotted Houston a three-run lead.

Ortiz slugged his 10th home run of the year on a solo shot in the third, and Betts tacked on another run on a fielder's choice the next inning to make it a one-run game.

NOTES: Red Sox 2B Dustin Pedroia was not in the starting lineup, but entered the game in the eighth inning as a pinch hitter. INF Josh Rutledge started at second, while hot-hitting CF Jackie Bradley Jr. assumed the No. 2 spot. "Day game after a night game and the way Jackie has been swinging the bat obviously speaks for itself," Boston manager John Farrell said. ... Astros CF Carlos Gomez, in a 3-for-34 slump, was not in the lineup Saturday. "I feel for him because he's working his tail off to make it better," Houston manager A.J. Hinch said. The two-time All-Star is batting .188 (22-for-117) this season. ... Former Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez, now a special assistant to president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, attended a rehab start for LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (right patellar subluxation) Saturday at Triple-A Pawtucket. ... Astros RHP Chris Devenski (0-2, 1.72 ERA) opposes Red Sox RHP Sean O'Sullivan (1-0, 6.43 ERA) in Sunday's series finale.

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