Trevor Story had gone more than four months without leaving the yard, but his next one arrived with the Red Sox staring at a sweep in Arlington. Story drilled a three-run homer in the eighth inning Thursday, lifting Boston past the Rangers, 4-3, at Globe Life Field.
Key takeaways
- Story’s eighth-inning blast was his first home run since May 13 and his fourth of the season.
- Boston erased a three-run hole over its final two trips to the plate.
- Wilyer Abreu opened the decisive inning with a walk before Willson Contreras was hit by a pitch.
- Sonny Gray worked 6 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on three hits while throwing a season-high 102 pitches.
- The win kept the Red Sox from being swept for the first time since July.
Story finds the pitch Boston needed
The Red Sox entered the eighth still trailing when Abreu reached on a leadoff walk. Contreras followed by getting hit by a pitch, then left the game, with Isiah Kiner-Falefa taking over as the pinch-runner.
That put two aboard for Story, who did not miss the Rangers’ chance to finish him with a breaking ball. He attacked an 80.3 mph curveball and drove a line shot into the left-center seats, turning a one-run deficit into a 4-3 Boston lead.
It was a long wait between homers for Story, whose previous one came on May 13. But in a game that had offered Boston little room to breathe, the veteran shortstop provided the swing that changed the entire afternoon.
Boston chips away behind Gray’s long start
Gray endured trouble early but kept the score close enough for the late comeback. The 36-year-old surrendered three runs and three hits across 6 1/3 innings, striking out six and walking three. He threw 67 strikes among his 102 pitches.
Boston began its climb in the seventh. Caleb Durbin and Nate Eaton drew back-to-back walks, and Roman Anthony brought Eaton home on a forceout. Second baseman Nicky Lopez then made a throwing error on the play, allowing Anthony to move into scoring position.
That run trimmed the margin before Story delivered the bigger blow an inning later. Boston walked out of Globe Life Field with a split-saving victory and a reminder that a quiet stretch can end with one clean swing.
