*Did you like what you saw from Red Sox starter Drew Pomeranz? He's Boston's likely G2 starter. The Astros dropped to 21-24 against lefty starters.
*Hinch:
This is a good team across the way. We're a good team. We're both division champions. We'll obviously see a lot of each other over the next 10 days.
*McCullers threw 4.1IP, 6H/5ER, 6K:2BB in 83 pitches. Two of those runs came in when Tony Sipp allowed a Mitch Moreland double that scored Andrew Benintendi and Mookie Betts. McCullers told McTaggart (video link) that if he filled a David Price-type role in the playoffs, "let's do it."
McCullers, Innings 1-3: 1H/0ER, 4K:0BB
McCullers, Innings 4-5: 5H/5ER, 2K:2BB, wild pitch
*The bullpen of Sipp, Hoyt, Gregerson, and Feliz threw 3.2IP, 4H/1ER, 6K:2BB (one intentional walk).
Since returning from the DL Tony Sipp has made eight appearances, throwing 5IP, 7H/1ER, 5K:2BB.
*Carlos Correa was 2x3 with a walk. Five of his last eight games have been multi-hit games. Springer (BB) and Bregman each went 0x4 on the day.
*Brian McCann hit his 18th home run of the season, off of Craig Kimbrel. It was the first home run Kimbrel had allowed since August 28 and just the 6th home run he has allowed all season. Luke Gregerson, on the other hand, has allowed six home runs in the last three batters*.
*estimated
*George Springer's 1st Grade teacher came to Fenway yesterday, and brought him cookies.
*Dallas Keuchel will throw a simulated game today and Collin McHugh will start G162 in his place. Hinch, explaining why today might be a better day to hug your family and prep for Playoff Armageddon, maybe read a book for pleasure:
A couple of guys will get some days off, a couple of guys will play half games. A lot of the backup guys and extra guys from September will get a lot of playing time.
*Keuchel isn't worried about a nine-day layoff between starts.
*'Litos is ready for the playoffs:
Correa on facing Red Sox and returning to ALDS: "We're more prepared." pic.twitter.com/hwTZje3OBK— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) September 30, 2017
*Some milestones at stake for the Astros going into the final game of the season:
-The next run Yuli Gurriel score will move him off 69 runs for the season, which no one wants or needs.
-Alex Bregman needs one more double to reach 40 for the season.
-Carlos Correa needs one more hit to reach 400 for his career.
-George Springer needs one more double to reach break his career-high of 29 doubles, and also to join the 30-double/30-homer club - which hasn't been done by an Astro since Carlos Lee (43 doubles, 32 home runs) in 2007.
-Jose Altuve needs one more home run to break his career-high of 24 home runs in a season. Hinch said he'd get "a couple" of plate appearances.
*Marly Rivera sat down with Jose Altuve and talked about how hard this season his been, the impact of data on his game, and the possibility of being the 2nd Venezuelan MVP in history.
*A.J. Hinch said that bench coach Alex Cora would make a fine manager.
*Brian T. Smith said what every right-thinking person already knows: Jose Altuve is a lock for AL MVP. More on this after the playoffs.
*Ken Rosenthal notes that Our Boy Marwin - who should be in the conversation as one of the best Rule 5 picks in baseball history - is lining himself up for a Ben Zobrist-type deal (4yrs/$56m).
*Cool piece on Alex Bregman's 2012 draft experience and how close he came to joining Boston's organization. Bregman:
I told them I wanted to be drafted in the first round or paid like a first-rounder.
*Check this video on Carlos Beltran's efforts to help Puerto Rico.
Harrowing drone footage shows a neighborhood of San Juan, Puerto Rico, in aftermath of Hurricane Maria. "Ghost town covered in sewage water" pic.twitter.com/SHKsJ3Byhq— ABC News (@ABC) September 30, 2017
*Make a direct donation to Beltran's efforts to help Puerto Rico.
*Congratulations on a fine career, Matt Cain. Here are all 27 outs from Cain's perfect game against the Astros on June 13, 2012.
