Trevor Story made the most of Boston’s few offensive chances Friday night, bouncing a game-winning single through the drawn-in infield in the ninth inning to give the Red Sox a 2-1 victory over the Miami Marlins at Fenway Park. The walk-off was Boston’s 10th of the season, the most in Major League Baseball.
The decisive rally came against Miami reliever Josh Simpson (2-2), who walked Roman Anthony and Alex Bregman to begin the ninth. Jarren Duran, attempting to bunt, was hit by a pitch to load the bases with nobody out. The Marlins turned to Calvin Faucher, but Story chopped a grounder past second base for Boston’s third hit of the night — and the only one that truly mattered.
Aroldis Chapman (4-2) earned the win after a perfect ninth inning in relief.
The night was largely defined by dominant starting pitching. Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara retired the first 12 batters he faced before Story broke up the bid with a single in the fifth. Story then stole second — making him a perfect 21-for-21 in stolen base attempts this season, the longest such streak in Red Sox history since the American League began tracking caught stealing in 1920.
Boston finally tied the game in the sixth. After Alcantara retired the next five batters following Story’s hit, Anthony coaxed a two-out walk and scored on Bregman’s double off the Green Monster to make it 1-1.
On the other side, Lucas Giolito kept Boston in it, scattering seven hits and a walk while allowing one run and striking out five over 6 1/3 innings. He departed with a runner on in the seventh, and Justin Wilson induced Xavier Edwards to ground into a double play to end the threat.
That seventh-inning double play kept the game tied and set the stage for Boston’s late-inning dramatics. The Red Sox will look to carry the momentum into Saturday’s matchup against Miami, with first pitch scheduled for 4:10 p.m.
