Astro-batics result in Houston run on wild sequence

Red Sox reliever Burke Badenhop had done his job, it seemed. The Astros’ Matt Dominguez grounded to short with two outs in the eighth inning and the Red Sox leading by a run Friday night at Fenway Park. But after the bizarre sequence that followed, Houston’s Gregorio Petit scored to tie the game and Boston manager John Farrell challenged two aspects of the play.

Cobb, McCarthy epitomize strength in survivors’ duel

The men on the mound Friday night weren’t just starting pitchers dueling it out in the Rays’ 5-0 series-opening win over the Yankees. Tampa Bay’s Alex Cobb and New York’s Brandon McCarthy have a more interesting connection. Both Cobb and McCarthy have had to come back from being hit in the head with line drives during games. Both have had to deal with the long recovery from a serious head injury that followed.

Thrill of the climb: Cobb leads Rays back to .500

With a 5-0 win in their series opener against the Yankees on Friday night, the Rays accomplished what only three other teams in Major League history — including the 2004 Tampa Bay club — have done: come from at least 18 games under .500 and get back even. The ’04 Devil Rays were also 18 games under, joining the 1899 Louisville Colonels (22 under) and the 2006 Florida Marlins (20 under).