Trevor Story's bizarre homer helps lead Red Sox past Guardians on Labor Day

Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald on Sep 1, 2025

Published in Baseball

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BOSTON — Fenway Park has been around for well over a century, but the 36,021 fans who came out for Monday’s Labor Day matinee may well have witnessed the strangest home run in the ballpark’s long history.

Leading off the bottom of the sixth, Trevor Story sent a fly ball the opposite way to the base of Pesky’s Pole in right field. The ball was playable for Jhonkensy Noel, but when Cleveland Guardians right fielder attempted to make the catch, the ball bounced out of his glove, hit the foul pole and fell to the ground.

Was it a foul ball? A ground rule double? After some initial confusion and the assistance of replay, the umpires confirmed it was a home run, a true only-at-Fenway solo shot that helped power the Red Sox to a 6-4 win.

Story’s homer traveled just 306 feet and was the shortest non-inside-the-parker in MLB this season. It was the highlight of a productive yet disjointed offensive performance for the Red Sox, who tallied 14 hits but stranded 12 men and went 4 for 14 with runners in scoring position.

The game also moved at a glacial pace aided in part by starting pitchers Brayan Bello and Parker Messick, neither of whom brought their "A" game.

The Red Sox started off on the right foot, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first to take an early lead. Roman Anthony singled to lead off the inning, advanced to third on an Alex Bregman double and scored after Messick was called for a balk. Romy Gonzalez followed with an RBI single to make it 2-0.

From there, the game slowed to a crawl.

After already laboring through a 24-pitch scoreless first, Bello got completely stuck in the mud in the top of the second. He allowed a leadoff walk, a single and another walk to load the bases with no outs, and then he gave up back-to-back singles, including an RBI knock by C.J. Kayfus and a two-run single by Brayan Rocchio that put Cleveland in front.

Bello was able to work his way out of the jam without further damage, but not before running his pitch count up to 59.

Messick wasn’t any more efficient for the Guardians. He allowed the Red Sox to get runners at the corners with two outs in the second, setting the table for Story to tie the game at 3-3 with an RBI single. The Red Sox loaded the bases afterwards but came away empty handed, and after a scoreless third squandered another opportunity with two on in the fourth.

Messick was pulled after 3.2 innings, but a curious decision by the Guardians opened the door for Boston in the fifth, and this time they were able to take advantage.

Despite the Red Sox having three righties due up, including lefty killer Rob Refsnyder to lead off the inning, Cleveland inserted lefty reliever Erik Sabrowski to start the fifth. Refsnyder predictably doubled off the Guardians lefty, and Sabrowski followed by walking Nate Eaton and hitting Ceddanne Rafaela to load the bases.

Cora went to his bench and pinch hit Carlos Narvaez, and the rookie delivered with a two-run single to put the Red Sox back in front.

The Red Sox reloaded the bases after the go-ahead single but again failed to come through. Anthony struck out and Bregman grounded into an inning-ending double play, after which point Boston had nine men left on base through the first five innings.

Fortunately for Boston, the lead proved sufficient.

Bello was able to grind through five innings and left after allowing three runs on six hits with four strikeouts and three walks. He was followed by lefty Justin Wilson, who carved up the Guardians for a scoreless sixth on just six pitches.

Story came through with his weird home run in the bottom of the frame, making it 6-3 Boston and giving the shortstop 86 RBI on the season. That’s his most in a season since he recorded 108 in 2018, and with 23 games remaining a second career 100 RBI season is very much in play.

The Guardians got a run back on a solo shot by Kyle Manzardo off Steven Matz in the seventh, but the Red Sox bullpen shut things down the rest of the way. Aroldis Chapman came on in the ninth for his 28th save of the season, giving the Red Sox their ninth win in 12 games.