Live blog: Red Sox-Astros ALCS Game 1 updates

Red Sox manager Alex Cora prepares for Game 1. Carmen Mandato/Getty Images The ALCS is finally here.

Game 1 between the Red Sox and Astros gets underway in Houston at 8:07 p.m. Friday’s matchup will have a pair of lefties starting on the mound, with the Red Sox throwing Chris Sale and the Astros tossing Framber Valdez.

While Sale put up solid numbers in his nine regular-season starts after returning from Tommy John surgery (5-1 with a 3.16 ERA), the star pitcher had arguably the two worst outings of his career in his last two starts. Sale pitched 2 1/3 innings in his final regular-season start, giving up two runs on four hits and two walks against the Nationals. In Game 2 of the ALDS, Sale…