Carter makes heads-up throw ... for 4th out

BOSTON -- Three outs is enough to escape an inning in baseball. Astros first baseman Chris Carter made sure his team had one extra in the seventh of Friday night's 12-8 win over the Red Sox at Fenway Park.

With runners at first and third base and two outs, Red Sox catcher Ryan Hanigan grounded out to third base to end the inning, but Carter threw across the diamond as Alejandro De Aza was heading to third. Astros shortstop Carlos Correa tagged out a sliding De Aza, and third-base umpire Laz Diaz signaled for an out as De Aza asked how many outs there were in the inning.

Carter threw across the diamond on instincts, he said.

"I knew the outs, but I just saw the runner and Correa got over to third and I just kind of locked up for a second and threw it over there, and went 'Oh, wait,'" Carter said. "As soon as I threw it, I was like, 'Four outs. Never mind.'"

Carter chuckled at Diaz signaled out.

"We got a call out of it," he said.

Of course, Carter's throw was right on the money, which was something he hoped he still could get credit for doing.

"It was a great throw," he joked.