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 "I don't know if he's too happy with me right now," Spinger said
after his two-run home run off former University of Connecticut
teammate Matt Barnes in the sixth inning was the difference as the
Houston Astros charged from four runs down and ended the Boston Red
Sox' five-game winning streak with a 7-6 victory in the rain at
Fenway Park.
"He got me before. I guess we're even," said Springer, 1-for-2
against his pal.
Springer, who had a two-run double in a four-run fifth that erased a
5-1 deficit created by Boston's five-run second against Lance
McCullers, connected on a 3-2 pitch from Barnes (2-2).
Asked what it meant to hit one off Barnes, Springer, a New Britain,
Conn., native who missed his first two visits to Fenway because of
injury, said he had "a lot" of people at the game and added: "The
team wins. That's the most important part. I don't even look into
that -- I was just happy to help us win. We were able to come back
tonight and sneak out of here with a good win."
Said Barnes: "I think the most frustrating part was the homer,
period. Whoever it was in that moment it doesn't really matter. It
gave them the lead. That's why I was the most frustrating.
 "... I'm sure I'll get a text (from Springer)."
It was the best comeback win of the season for a team that has
struggled under mighty expectations. A 16-inning victory over the
Cleveland Indians Wednesday and a split of the first two games in
Boston means the Astros have won four of their last six and are 8-5
in their last 13.
Springer, whose homer was his eighth of the year, and Jose Altuve
both stroked three hits and scored twice and Marwin Gonzalez
delivered a pair of RBI singles.
"This is a special moment for (Springer), given playing here at
Fenway. He was pretty excited," Houston manager A.J. Hinch said.
"Obviously it's against his boy from college and in a big spot, a
big game, it really gave us lots of energy."
McCullers, making his 2016 debut after a shoulder problem landed him
on the disabled list, went 4 2/3 innings and left with the game
tied. Scott Feldman (2-2) got the win despite allowing a solo homer
to Travis Shaw.
Luke Gregerson, the sixth Houston pitcher, worked a perfect ninth
with two strikeouts for his eighth save after Will Harris struck out
three in a one-hit eighth.
Ryan Hanigan's two-run double -- making him 4-for-5 at the time off
McCullers -- highlighted the Red Sox' five-run second. Hanigan was
chased home by a double by Jackie Bradley Jr., who extended his
career-best hitting streak to 19 straight games -- the high in the
majors this season -- with the first of his three hits.
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Bradley is batting .431 with 26 RBIs during the streak. The RBI was
his 15th in the last five games and he has raised his batting
average from .222 to .341.
"It's pretty cool, but obviously we wanted to win tonight," Bradley
said.
Rain fell from start to finish but the game was not delayed at any
point in a contest that saw the Red Sox score in single digits for
the first time in five games.
Altuve led the game off with a single and wound up scoring on a
two-out single by Gonzalez. The hit lifted Altuve to 17-for-34
leading off games this season.
Wright, who said the rain, "just makes it a little bit harder to
keep the feel," also lasted 4 2/3 innings as his streak of quality
starts for the year ended at six.
NOTES: RHP Lance McCullers (shoulder) and C Jason Castro (paternity
leave) were activated before the game and served as Houston's
starting battery with Castro going 2-for-4. ... Houston manager A.J.
Hinch intentionally walked David Ortiz in the fifth inning and Scott
Feldman then retired Hanley Ramirez. "Any time you have a big
moment, David Ortiz can go ahead and take his walk to first for all
I care," Hinch said. "With all due respect to Hanley and any other
hitter that's ever hot behind him, I'm just not comfortable with
Ortiz getting a big at-bat in a big moment like that." ... Boston
LHP Eduardo Rodriguez, slated to make his fourth rehab start for
Triple-A Pawtucket Friday night as he returns from a knee injury,
was pushed backed to Saturday by a rainout. Rodriguez and RH Joe
Kelly are rehabbing in Triple-A. ... Astros Class A OF Marc Wik was
suspended for 50 games for failing a second drug test.
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