The Boston Red Sox have become the first team to hit two grand slams in a post-season MLB game, with J.D. Martinez and Rafael Devers connecting in the first two innings of a 9-5 win over the Houston Astros.
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The result levelled the American League Championship Series (ALCS) at 1-1, with Game 3 to be played Monday night in Boston.
In Game 1 of the National League Championship Series (NLCS), Austin Riley homered and drove in the winning run with a single in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Atlanta Braves a 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Game 2 is Sunday night in Atlanta before the series shifts to Los Angeles.
In Houston, Martinez got the scoring started with his opposite-field shot off rookie pitcher Luis Garcia with two outs in the first inning.
Garcia exited with right knee discomfort after walking the first batter of the second inning.
Jake Odorizzi took over when Garcia left the game with right knee discomfort, and shortly after Devers connected with one out for slam No.2.
"J.D.'s swing was huge to get us on the board early, and then Raffy, same thing, another granny," red-hot teammate Kike Hernandez said.
"Has that ever happened before?"
It has now.
Boston, back in the playoffs for the first time since winning the 2018 World Series after downing Houston in the ALCS, will host the next three games of the best-of-seven showdown.
Hernandez added a solo homer in the fourth inning.
The Red Sox were up 9-0 when Houston got on the board with an RBI double by Kyle Tucker with two outs in the fourth. The Astros cut the lead to 9-3 when Yuli Gurriel followed with single to right field that scored two more.
Gurriel and Jason Castro added solo homers in the ninth off Darwinzon Hernandez before Ryan Brasier got the final out.
"At the end, it was a little too close for comfort, but we got it done," Hernandez said.
In Atlanta, Riley said he was just trying to "put something in play and see what happens" after his line drive into the left-field corner allowed Ozzie Albies to score the winning run.
"As soon as he hit it, I took off," Albies, who stole second base before Riley drive him home, said.
"I started yelling, screaming all the way to home plate."
Riley also homered in the fourth.
The teams are meeting in the NLCS for the second consecutive season.
The Dodgers rallied from a 3-1 deficit to win last year's playoffs in seven games before winning the World Series.
Australian Associated Press
