Sale, Martinez strikes helping Boston Red Sox get past New York Yankees on Friday

Left-hander Chris Sale pitched effectively into the sixth inning, J.D. Martinez hit a three-run home run in the first and the Boston Red Sox opened the American League Division Series by holding on for a 5-4 victory over the visiting New York Yankees on Friday night.

Game 2 is Saturday night. Left-hander David Price starts for Boston and opposes right-hander Masahiro Tanaka.

In his second career postseason start, Sale (1-0) allowed two runs on five hits in 5 1/3 innings. Limited to about 100 pitches, Sale threw 93 while getting eight strikeouts and issuing a pair of walks.

The Red Sox took a 3-0 lead when Martinez homered over the Green Monster in left field off J.A. Happ (0-1) and added two more runs in the third. Boston's bullpen held on for the final 11 outs; Craig Kimbrel allowed a leadoff homer to Aaron Judge in the ninth before securing the four-out save.

Astros 7, Indians 2

Alex Bregman slugged his fifth career postseason home run, and right-hander Justin Verlander delivered a strong start for Houston, which claimed Game 1 of its ALDS against visiting Cleveland.

Game 2 will see Indians right-hander Carlos Carrasco oppose Astros righty Gerrit Cole.

Bregman was the first of four Astros to smack solo home runs, with George Springer and Jose Altuve hitting back-to-back homers in the fifth inning off Indians right-hander Corey Kluber (0-1). Martin Maldonado added a leadoff homer to ignite the Astros' two-run seventh.

Verlander (1-0) allowed two runs on two hits and two walks with seven strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings. He tired in the sixth, throwing 27 pitches while loading the bases for right-hander Ryan Pressly, who uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Yan Gomes to score. Jose Ramirez cut the deficit to 4-2 with a run-scoring groundout, but Pressly held the line there.

Brewers 4, Rockies 0

Right-hander Jhoulys Chacin and four relievers combined on a six-hitter as host Milwaukee rode dominant pitching to a 2-0 lead in its NLDS with Colorado.

The Brewers will send southpaw Wade Miley to the mound Sunday at Colorado seeking a sweep. The Rockies will counter with right-hander German Marquez.

Mike Moustakas, the hero of Milwaukee's Game 1 win with a walk-off single in the 10th, scored one run and drove in another to highlight the Brewers' offence. Chacin (1-0) worked the first five innings, limiting the Rockies to three hits. He also walked three and struck out three.

Left-hander Tyler Anderson (0-1) went six innings, charged with one run and four hits. He walked two and struck out five. Nolan Arenado and Gerardo Parra had two hits each for the Rockies, who have totalled just six runs in their last four games.

(With inputs from agencies.)