For the second consecutive afternoon, the Astros beat the Red Sox 8–2. Houston’s ALDS lead is now a commanding 2–0.
1. The Astros will punish you ... and won't strike out
This season Houston became the third team in the last 100 years—after the 1948 Yankees and ’95 Indians—to lead their league in slugging and finish last in strikeouts. It’s not easy to hit that balance of controlled free-swinging. This is probably the ideal formula for offensive success in the current run environment, in which the ball is likely juiced but every team trots out a seemingly endless parade of flamethrowing relievers.