In a tense pitching duel, Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara retired the first 12 Boston hitters and held the Red Sox to just three hits on the night. However, the game turned in the bottom of the ninth. Reliever Josh Simpson walked Roman Anthony and Alex Bregman to open the inning, then hit Jarren Duran with a pitch to load the bases. Calvin Faucher entered to face Story, who bounced a grounder past the drawn-in infield, sending the Fenway faithful into celebration.
The Red Sox have now won five games this season wearing their City Connect Fenway Green jerseys, and remarkably, all have come via walk-off. With this victory, Boston improved to 5-3 in the new uniforms and 67-56 overall, just 1.5 games behind Seattle for the top American League Wild Card spot. Their home dominance is clear—Boston has gone 15-2 at Fenway since July 7 and boasts a 40-22 home record, in stark contrast to their 27-34 mark on the road.
“I think in those bigger situations, less is more. You feel the energy, the excitement, so it was just about putting the barrel on the ball and not trying to do too much,” Story said postgame, as quoted by MLB.com. Story also made history by stealing his 21st base in as many attempts, the longest single-season streak without being caught by a Red Sox player since the stat was first recorded in 1920.
Starter Lucas Giolito was solid for Boston, scattering seven hits and one run over 6 1/3 innings while striking out five. He was relieved by Justin Wilson, who induced a crucial double play to keep the game tied in the seventh. Aroldis Chapman earned the win with a perfect ninth inning.
Despite Alcantara’s dominance—he allowed just one run over six innings and carried a perfect game into the fifth—the Marlins could not break through late. Miami dropped to 58-64 with the loss, while Boston’s relentless late-inning pressure continued to pay dividends. The Fenway crowd, totaling 36,854 for the team’s 12th straight home sellout, played a key role, creating an intimidating atmosphere that manager Alex Cora said is making “Fenway Park uncomfortable for the opposition.”
Looking ahead, Miami will send Cal Quantrill (4-9, 5.09 ERA) to the mound against Boston’s Brayan Bello (8-6, 3.25 ERA) in the next game of the series. With momentum and history on their side, the Red Sox remain a formidable force at home, keeping their postseason hopes alive and thrilling their passionate fan base.
For more game coverage and live stats, check out the Marlins vs. Red Sox Gamecast on ESPN.