Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa Spur Ninth-Inning Comeback As Astros Even Up ALCS

The Astros erupted for a seven-run ninth inning to take Game 4, 9-2, and draw level with the Red Sox in the ALCS.

Just when it seemed like the Red Sox could do know wrong, the Astros saved their season thanks to two familiar faces.

Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa, who have spent their entire careers with Houston spanning 2,331 games, ignited a dormant Astros offense and spurred a late inning comeback in what turned into a blowout 9-2 victory in Game 4 on Tuesday night.

Altuve dealt the first blow with a solo home run in the eighth inning to tie the game, 2-2. In the ninth, Correa delivered with a leadoff double and later scored on a two-out RBI single by Jason Castro to give Houston the lead.

Castro's single was the first of seven straight Astros hitters to reach base with two outs, busting open what had been a tense game.

🚨 7-RUN 9TH INNING FOR THE ASTROS 🚨#ForTheH #PostSeason

(via @MLBONFOX) pic.twitter.com/KpW5FQ1dFp

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) October 20, 2021

Altuve had been 1-for-15 in the series before his game-tying blast, while Correa has been dialed in all postseason, with Tuesday marking his fourth multi-hit game of the playoffs.

The series had been high-scoring in all three games prior to this one, and Game 4 started that way with a first-inning home run by Alex Bregman. Xander Bogaerts answered with a two-run blast in the bottom half of the inning, and that's where the score stayed until Altuve's homer in the eighth. The 1-0 lead Houston briefly held was its first lead since Game 1.

Zack Greinke started the game for the Astros and struggled, walking three batters with no strikeouts and managing to record just four outs. Five Houston relievers combined for 7.2 shutout innings, with Kendall Graveman picking up the win.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora opted to use Game 2 starter Nathan Eovaldi in relief in the ninth, and the right-hander faltered. He allowed four runs on two hits and two walks in what was his first relief appearance since 2019.

With the series tied at two games apiece, Houston and Boston will square off Wednesday at Fenway Park for Game 5.