Red Sox's Alex Cora: 'You Tip Your Cap' to Framber Valdez After Dominant Game 5

The Boston Red Sox offense went silent in Wednesday's 9-1 loss to the Astros in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series.

After Houston starting pitcher Framber Valdez dominated through eight innings of work, Boston manager Alex Cora had nothing but respect for his performance.

"You tip your cap to him," Cora told reporters after the game, calling Valdez's sinker "unreal."

Valdez was perfect through four innings and carried a two-hit shutout into the seventh before allowing his lone earned run, a solo home run to Rafael Devers. He finished with five strikeouts in the victory.

Wednesday's game was the first time all series that an Astros starter lasted longer than three innings. Through the first four games, Houston's starting rotation had a collective 18.90 ERA, allowing 10 home runs and three grand slams.

With the win, the Astros took a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series. Yordan Alvarez led the offense by going 3-for-5 with a solo home run, three RBI and two runs. Yuli Gurriel also went 3-for-5 with a double and three RBI.

Valdez had been engaged in a pitching duel with Red Sox starter Chris Sale until the Astros blew the game open with five runs in the sixth inning. It was the second straight game that Houston plated nine runs.

Cora praised Sale's performance after the game and said he wasn't to blame for the loss.

"We didn't get enough outs as a group," Cora said.

The loss marks the first time Boston has lost consecutive postseason games with Cora as its manager.

The Red Sox will hope to stave off elimination in Houston on Friday for Game 6 of the ALCS.