Astros 12, Red Sox 8
BOSTON -- Carlos Correa struck again -- and again -- at Fenway Park on Friday night.
The 20-year-old shortstop -- the American League rookie of the month for June, his first month in the majors -- hit a solo homer in the eighth inning and then stroked an RBI single in the 10th to help the Houston Astros to their fifth straight win -- a wild 12-8 victory over the Boston Red Sox.
The first-place Astros (48-34) failed to hold leads of 5-2, 7-5 and 8-7 but came through with four runs in the 10th against right-hander Noe Ramirez, who was making his major league debut.
Ramirez hit second baseman Jose Altuve with his second big-league pitch before right fielder Preston Tucker hit one through first baseman Mike Napoli to move Altuve to second. Correa, who hit his sixth homer in 23 major league games to snap a 7-7 tie in the eighth, then delivered his third hit of the night for his 17th RBI.
DH Jon Singleton came through with a two-run single for his second and third RBIs of the game. A double steal capped the rally, with left fielder Domingo Santana stealing home after the throw to second.
Right-hander Roberto Hernandez, the seventh of eight Houston pitchers, got the win, moving to 3-5.
After the Astros, who scored five runs in the fourth inning, took a 7-5 lead on Altuve's two-run single in the top of the seventh, the Red Sox scored a pair in the bottom half. The first run came in on third baseman Pablo Sandoval's second RBI single of the game, and the second run scored on a force at second base.
Correa, who made a nifty stop to get that force, then led off the eighth inning with his homer. But the Red Sox, coming off a 5-2 road trip and winners of 10 of their last 15 coming in, came right back in the bottom half, with DH David Ortiz delivering a two-out RBI double.
Neither starter finished five innings. Boston's Justin Masterson was chased in a five-run fourth, and Houston's Dan Straily was knocked out with two outs in the fifth in his first big league start of the season.
Red Sox left fielder Hanley Ramirez clobbered the first pitch in the bottom of the second for his fourth homer during an eight-game hitting streak. Straily got the next two hitters, but right fielder Alejandro De Aza walked, went to third on a single by catcher Ryan Hanigan and scored when center fielder Mookie Betts singled.
The Astros hit the ball hard in their five-run fourth.
Third baseman Luis Valbuena led off with a single and went to third on a single by left fielder Evan Gattis. Designated hitter Jon Singleton got a run home with a groundout (his first RBI this season) before Masterson got the second out on a hard line drive to center.
Catcher Jason Castro sent a drive off the wall in left, and Singleton scored from first when left fielder Ramirez fumbled the ball and then threw to the wrong base. Second baseman Brock Holt's hurried throw home was off the mark.
Center fielder Alex Presly, who replaced George Springer, singled Castro in from second and Presly took second when Altuve extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a single. Right fielder Preston Tucker brought both runners in with a double.
Correa followed with an infield hit and Masterson was done. Left-hander Tommy Layne relieved and walked Valbuena to load the bases, but Gattis grounded out.
The Red Sox tied it in the fifth. Holt walked with one out, took third on a single by shortstop Xander Bogaerts and scored on a single by Ortiz.
With runners on first and third, Ramirez grounded to third and Altuve tried for the double play, but his throw hit a sliding Ortiz on the helmet and flew into the stands behind first base. Sandoval then singled home the tying run against reliever Tony Sipp.
NOTES: Red Sox OF Shane Victorino, who missed six weeks with his latest injury (calf), was activated and OF Jackie Bradley was optioned to Pawtucket. In other moves, C Blake Swihart (foot) was placed on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to July 1 with a sprained foot, RHP Noe Ramirez was selected from Pawtucket and RHP Zeke Spruill was designated for assignment to make room for Ramirez on the 40-man roster. ... Astros OF Jake Marisnick (hamstring) was to be evaluated after Friday's game to determine whether he will return this weekend or when the team moves on to Cleveland. ... Houston RHP Scott Feldman (knee) will make the first of what should be at least two rehab assignments on Sunday for Double-A Corpus Christi. ... Houston RHP Collin McHugh goes for his 10th win of the season when he faces Boston RHP Clay Buchholz in Game 2 of the series on Saturday. ... Celtics coach Brad Stevens was at the game.