Justin Verlander delivered the one thing worth remembering about Game 1 — victory  —  BOSTON — At times, Game 1 of the American League Championship Series devolved into a comedy of errors and miscues, looking more like a rec league softball game between two teams that were sipping from can of Natty Light between innings.

Red Sox biggest postseason concern exposed: Can pitching compete with Astros?  —  BOSTON — October baseball has a way of blinding us to regular-season realities.  —  We can understand, rationally, that the outcome of one individual baseball game is never reliably predictive and that great teams …

Your Sunday ALCS guide: Can the Red Sox bounce back?  —  It wasn't the most crisp win in postseason history, but the Astros ground down the Red Sox bullpen to notch a 7-2 victory in Fenway Park in the first game of the American League Championship Series.  Will they be able to expand …

Flawless Astros will be very hard to beat if they play like this  —  BOSTON — The only way for anyone to stop the Houston Astros from winning back-to-back World Series championships is by playing perfect baseball.  —  The Astros are too talented, a team without obvious flaws.

LIVE BLOG: Reddick, Gurriel blasts provide insurance runs for Astros in Game 1 of ALCS  —  This is a series between baseball's two strongest teams.  —  10:50 p.m. Yuli Gurriel put the final touches on an Astros victory in Game 1 of the ALCS with a three-run home run.  —  The Astros beat the Red Sox 7-2 at Fenway.

Red Sox's Chris Sale makes early exit from ALCS Game 1  —  BOSTON — Red Sox ace Chris Sale made an early exit in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series against the Houston Astros.  —  Sale lasted just four innings Saturday night, giving up two runs on one hit and four walks as Boston dropped the series opener 7-2.

Hall of Famer Jim Palmer criticizes Manny Machado for lack of hustle in Game 2 of NLCS  —  Manny Machado's baserunning in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series did not go unnoticed.  —  The Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop was roasted on social media and during the Fox Sports broadcast …

Justin Turner shrugs off 0-for-5 night to spark Dodgers' Game 2 win  —  MILWAUKEE — It was admittedly the worst game of his career and one of the worst games in baseball history.  Justin Turner — among the sport's hottest hitters since the start of August, including in a first-round playoff series …

Justin Turner bounces back and becomes Dodgers' Game 2 hero in 4-3 victory over Brewers … Justin Turner clutched the Rawlings-issued lumber in his left hand and pointed toward the left-field seats at Miller Park.  As he started his trot down the first base line, he held his bat aloft …