Houston shuffled its bullpen with adversity looming, then leaned on a resurgent Hunter Brown to navigate Boston’s dangerous lineup. Brown mixed his four-seam fastball with off-speed and location, flipping from aggressive to crafty as the game wore on. When Josh Hader’s shoulder issue lingered, Bryan Abreu stepped into a closer’s role he’s rarely inhabited this season, and delivered a high-octane finish, punctuated by a 100 mph heater. Diaz and Peña joined Altuve in delivering timely hits, turning a tense finish into a 4-1 Astros victory that secured the series at Daikin Park and kept Houston’s hold on the AL West precarious but real. The night also underscored Houston’s ongoing bullpen evolution, with Sousa leaning on sliders and the staff demonstrating adaptability in a season defined by injuries and bullpen turnover.

Boston’s Yoshida and Rafaela provided early life, stoking the threat against Brown and the bullpen, while the Sox scratched for every inch against a Houston club that refused to break. The Red Sox left runners stranded at critical moments, and the Astros’ surge—rooted in Brown’s refined plan, the bullpen’s late-shift, and Abreu’s thunderous return—to the ninth highlighted a recurring theme: Houston’s ability to pivot on the fly and squeeze value from high-leverage moments, even when the odds bend against them.