ARLINGTON, Texas — Trevor Story, who is from Irving, hit a go-ahead, three-run home run off Jacob Latz in the eighth inning Thursday night. The Boston Red Sox beat the Texas Rangers, 4-3, at Globe Life Field and kept Texas from a three-game sweep.
The Colorado Rockies drafted Story 45th overall in 2011 out of Irving High School, where he hit .488 as a senior. He had committed to LSU.
Boston trailed 3-1 entering the eighth. Story reached down for Latz’s second straight low curveball, an 80.3 mph pitch, and lined it over the wall in left-center field. It was his fourth home run of the season and his first since May 13. The loss dropped Texas one game behind the Houston Astros in the AL West.
The challenges of the year were part of it for Story.
“It meant a lot,” Story said. “Just the challenges of the year and all that, but just trying to be present in the moment to help the team win. And today was a good one, that was fun.”
Trevor Story Has A Hit in 15 Of 16 Games Since Sports Hernia Surgery
Boston placed Story on the 10-day injured list May 16 with a sports hernia that had bothered him since the spring. He had surgery later that month and was transferred to the 60-day IL on June 4. Since returning Aug. 30, Story has a hit in all but one of his 16 games, and he is riding an eight-game hitting streak. He is slashing .327/.339/.473 in September.
Story tries to use the outside noise in a way that fits him.
“It’s tough because I’m not really motivated by outside noise or anything,” Story explained. “But you hear it, and I try to use it in a way that fits me best. Like we said, that was the point of getting the surgery, to come back and try to be the player that I know I can be, and I’m starting to show that.”
Chad Tracy Says Trevor Story Delivered ‘A Massive Swing’
Jakob Junis set up the at-bat by walking Wilyer Abreu and hitting Willson Contreras to open the eighth. Latz then struck out Adley Rutschman. Story had just missed Latz’s fastball a couple of times earlier in the at-bat.
“I was looking for something just to put in play,” Story said. “[Latz has] a good fastball and just missed it a couple times, and I felt good about that. Just trying to get something in the zone and get on top of it, and was able to drive one out.”
Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said he saw Story change games that way numerous times in the second half of last season.
“He’s been great,” Tracy said. “He’s got a hit in every game but one. That was a hell of an at-bat against a really good pitcher in a really big spot and a huge swing. Obviously needed a win, but all the credit to him.”
“You’re one pitch away in a spot like that, where he can change a game, like we saw it numerous times in the second half of last year,” Tracy continued. “So, like I said, it was a massive swing.”
Boston (83-70) holds the second AL Wild Card spot, five games ahead of the Cleveland Guardians. The Red Sox open a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday and could clinch a postseason berth there.
