HOUSTON (AP) — Carlos Correa put Houston on top with a three-run homer and Christian Vázquez added a solo shot to lead the Astros to a 6-4 win over the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday to complete a three-game sweep.
It’s the fifth consecutive win for the Astros and gives Boston five straight losses since an opening day victory.
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Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez tosses his bat after being hit by a pitch as he stares down Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet during the fifth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 1, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
Houston Astros' Isaac Paredes, right, connects for an RBI double in front of Boston Red Sox catcher Connor Wong, left, during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 1, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Wednesday, April 1, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
Houston Astros starting pitcher Mike Burrows throws against the Boston Red Sox during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 1, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
Houston Astros' Carlos Correa flips his bat before rounding the bases on this three-run home run against the Boston Red Sox during the fifth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 1, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
Pinch-hitter Roman Anthony homered off Bryan Abreu to start the ninth and get the Red Sox within two. But Abreu struck out the next three batters to get his first save.
Houston starter Mike Burrows (1-1) allowed five hits and two runs in five innings for the win after giving up nine hits and five runs in his Astros debut Friday after an offseason trade from Pittsburgh.
The game was tied with one out in the fifth when Jose Altuve singled before Garrett Crochet (1-1) hit Yordan Alvarez in the ribs with a pitch. There were two outs with a 1-2 count when Correa smacked an off-speed pitch into the seats in left field to make it 5-2.
Crochet allowed six hits and five runs — four earned — in five innings after throwing six scoreless innings in the opening day win over the Reds.
Vázquez connected off Danny Coulombe to open Houston’s seventh and push the lead to 6-2.
Wilyer Abreu hit his third home run this season on a solo shot that cut the lead to 6-3 with one out in the eighth.
Willson Contreras' RBI single with one out in the first gave Boston an early lead.
Alvarez hit a one-out double in the bottom of the inning before a double by Isaac Paredes tied it. Correa reached on a fielding error by Trevor Story before an RBI single by Christian Walker put Houston up 2-1.
The Red Sox tied it when Isiah Kiner-Falefa scored on Jarren Duran's groundout in the second.
The Red Sox played without catcher Carlos Narváez after he was scratched from the lineup Wednesday. Manager Alex Cora didn't say why he was taken out of the lineup.
Both teams are off Thursday before the Red Sox open a series against San Diego on Friday night and the Astros begin a series with the Athletics in Sacramento.
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Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez tosses his bat after being hit by a pitch as he stares down Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet during the fifth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 1, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
Houston Astros' Isaac Paredes, right, connects for an RBI double in front of Boston Red Sox catcher Connor Wong, left, during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 1, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Garrett Crochet throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros, Wednesday, April 1, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
Houston Astros starting pitcher Mike Burrows throws against the Boston Red Sox during the first inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 1, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
Houston Astros' Carlos Correa flips his bat before rounding the bases on this three-run home run against the Boston Red Sox during the fifth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 1, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/Michael Wyke)
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Four astronauts strapped into NASA's new moon rocket and awaited liftoff Wednesday on humanity’s first lunar trip in more than half a century.
The three Americans and one Canadian waved and shaped their hands into hearts as they emerged from crew quarters to cheers and said goodbye to their families. The crowd applauded and cheered again as the astronauts boarded their astrovan for the nine mile (14-kilometer) ride to the launch pad.
Commander Reid Wiseman thanked the throngs who gathered to see them off.
“It's a great day for us. It's a great day for this team,” Wiseman called out.
Tensions were high earlier in the day as hydrogen fuel started flowing into the rocket. Dangerous hydrogen leaks erupted during a countdown test earlier this year, forcing a lengthy flight delay.
To NASA's relief, no significant hydrogen leaks occurred. The launch team loaded more than 700,000 gallons of fuel (2.6 million liters) into the 32-story Space Launch System rocket on the pad, a smooth operation that set the stage for the Artemis II crew to board.
A problem cropped up with the rocket's flight-termination system with only two hours remaining in the countdown. Commands weren't getting through to the system, which is needed to send a self-destruct signal in case the rocket veers off course and threatens populated areas. But the issue was quickly resolved, according to NASA.
“It is time to fly,” Wiseman declared on the eve of launch via X. Favorable weather was forecast.
The four will fly around the moon without stopping or even orbiting — then head straight back for a Pacific splashdown. They will set a new distance record for the farthest humans have traveled from Earth as they zoom some 4,000 miles (6,400 kilometers) beyond the moon and then hang a U-turn.
Astronauts last flew to the moon during Apollo 17 in 1972.
Artemis II is the opening shot of NASA's grand plans for a permanent moon base. The space program is aiming for a moon landing near the lunar south pole in 2028.
“The next era of exploration begins,” NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman posted on X.
Best wishes already have started to pour in, including from England's King Charles III to Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
Hansen will become the first non-U. S. citizen to launch to the moon. The crew also includes Christina Koch and Victor Glover, the first woman and first Black astronaut, respectively, destined for the moon.
“In this historic moment, you stand as a bridge between nations and generations,” the king wrote in a letter to Hansen, “and I commend you for your courage, discipline and vision that have brought you to this threshold.”
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Astronauts, Mission Specialist Christina Koch, right, and Pilot Victor Glover wave to family members as they leave the Operations and Checkout Building for a trip to Launch Pad 39-B and a planned liftoff on NASA's Artermis II moon rocket at the Kennedy Space Center Wednesday, April 1, 2026, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Artemis 2 crew member Commander Reid Wiseman holds "Rise" after the crew's arrival at the Kennedy Space Center Friday, March 27, 2026, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Commander Reid Wiseman poses for a photo with family members after leaving the Operations and Checkout Building for a trip to Launch Pad 39-B and a planned liftoff on NASA's Artermis II moon rocket at the Kennedy Space Center Wednesday, April 1, 2026, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Astronauts, from left, Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen, of Canada,, Pilot Victor Glover, Commander Reid Wiseman, and Mission Specialist Christina Koch pose for a photo after leaving the Operations and Checkout Building for a trip to Launch Pad 39-B and a planned liftoff on NASA's Artermis II moon rocket at the Kennedy Space Center Wednesday, April 1, 2026, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
NASA's Artermis II moon rocket sits on Launch Pad 39-B at the Kennedy Space Center hours ahead of a planned launch attempt Wednesday, April 1, 2026, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
This photo provided by NASA shows NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Artemis II commander, from left, Victor Glover, Artemis II pilot, Christina Koch, Artemis II mission specialist, and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, Artemis II mission specialist, right, in a group photograph as they visit NASA's Artemis II SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft, Monday, March 30, 2026, at Launch Complex 39B of NASA's Kennedy Space Center, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (Bill Ingalls/NASA via AP)
NASA's Artermis II moon rocket sits on Launch Pad 39-B at the Kennedy Space Center hours ahead of planned liftoff Wednesday, April 1, 2026, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
