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Red Sox Reload with Story and Anthony

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BRONX – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The Boston Red Sox activated outfielder Roman Anthony and shortstop Trevor Story in advance of their game Sunday against the rival New York Yankees.

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Anthony has not played since May 4 due to a wrist injury, while Story has missed over three months with a sports hernia.

The Red Sox also optioned designated hitter Mickey Gasper, second baseman Anthony Seigler and left-hander Raymond Burgos to Triple-A Worcester. Burgos was added as the 27th man for Saturday’s doubleheader against the Yankees and gave up five runs in 2 1/3 innings of Game 2, a 9-2 loss for Boston.

Anthony, 22, was batting .229 with one home run and five RBIs in 30 games this season. Third in American League Rookie of the Year voting last season, Anthony is a career .273 hitter with nine home runs and 37 RBIs in 101 games for Boston over the past two seasons.

Story, 33, was batting .206 with three home runs and 19 RBIs in 41 games this season. A veteran of 11 major league seasons, he is a career .262 hitter with 207 home runs and 655 RBIs in 1,106 games for the Colorado Rockies (2016-21) and Red Sox. He is a two-time All-Star.

Story has not appeared in the lineup since May 14.Baseball

Gasper was batting .278 with five home runs and 19 RBIs in 45 games this season, while Seigler hit.250 with three home runs and 13 RBIs in 48 games.

The Red Sox entered Sunday’s play 10-11 since Aug. 8 as they search for the form that carried them to a 32-5 record over both sides of the All-Star break.

Yankees and Red Sox Face-Off in Bronx

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BRONX – The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox are trying to catch the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League East race.

In the event neither team can win the division, the preferred alternative would be home-field advantage in the wild-card series.

Holding a three-game lead over their rivals for the top wild card, the host Yankees attempt to clinch the season series from the Red Sox on Sunday afternoon in the finale of a four-game series.

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The season series is tied at six games apiece after a split of the doubleheader on Saturday. The Red Sox earned a 6-0 win in the first game before the Yankees pulled away for a 9-2 victory on Saturday night.

“Very important,” New York’s Luis Garcia Jr. said through a translator about winning the season series. “We’re battling. We have a clear objective. So every victory is going to be very important for us.”

New York trails the Rays by 4 1/2 games and hosts them in a four-game series next month. The Red Sox are 7 1/2 out and visit the Rays in the prior series from Sept. 18-20.

The Yankees scored once and had seven hits in the first two games of the series before erupting for 13 hits — all singles — in the nightcap.

Ben Rice drove in three runs and is hitting .310 (13-for-42) in his past 11 games.

Garcia, who had three hits in the win, is hitting .429 (15-for-35) with four homers and nine RBIs in his past 10 games.

New York’s offense has scored at least seven runs in four of its past seven games and totaled double-digit hits in four of the last six. The lineup may be without rookie George Lombard Jr., who is day-to-day with right knee discomfort.

The Red Sox are 10-11 in their past 21 games after their 32-5 run got them into a playoff spot.

Boston may be getting some reinforcements to its offense as Roman Anthony and Trevor Story could return from the injured list following lengthy absences.

Anthony has not played since May 4 due to a wrist injury, while Story has missed over three months with a sports hernia.

“I think it’s really important for us to get those guys back — we need them — but it’s also important to recognize the work that the whole lineup has put in the last three months,” Boston’s Willson Contreras said.

“I think those are tough decisions to make, I don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow, but we do have to recognize the job that the guys are doing for this team. We couldn’t have done what we’ve done without them.”

Ranger Suarez (5-3, 3.35 ERA) is 1-0 with a 4.00 ERA in six starts since returning from a groin strain on July 26. The left-hander allowed one run on four hits in five innings during a no-decision in Monday’s 4-2 win at Miami.

“I think it’s really important for us to get those guys back — we need them — but it’s also important to recognize the work that the whole lineup has put in the last three months,” Boston’s Willson Contreras said.

“I think those are tough decisions to make, I don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow, but we do have to recognize the job that the guys are doing for this team. We couldn’t have done what we’ve done without them.”

Ranger Suarez (5-3, 3.35 ERA) is 1-0 with a 4.00 ERA in six starts since returning from a groin strain on July 26. The left-hander allowed one run on four hits in five innings during a no-decision in Monday’s 4-2 win at Miami.

Yanks Rely on Pitching vs Red Sox

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BRONX – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox offered a glimpse at what a postseason encounter might look like on Friday night.

After widening their lead in the race for the American League’s top wild-card spot, the Yankees hope to see standout showings from Carlos Rodon and Max Fried when they host the Red Sox in a day-night doubleheader on Saturday.

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New York moved three games ahead of the Red Sox when Cam Schlittler and three relievers combined on a five-hitter in Friday’s 1-0 victory. Cody Bellinger threw out Ceddanne Rafaela at the plate as the potential tying run in the seventh inning.

New York enters its third doubleheader since the All-Star break with a major league-best 3.22 ERA despite spending time without Gerrit Cole, Rodon and Fried.

In the opener, Rodon (4-2, 3.15 ERA) will make his third start since returning from a second injured list stint due to elbow inflammation. He likely will see his pitch count gradually increase.

Rodon threw 66 pitches in his return on Aug. 18 at Baltimore and increased to 76 Sunday when he allowed two runs on two hits in four innings during New York’s 8-3 win over Toronto.

The left-hander is 5-6 with a 3.98 ERA in 13 career starts against Boston.

In the nightcap, Fried (4-4, 2.81) will return from a second but much shorter injured list stint due to a bone bruise in his left elbow.

Fried last pitched Aug. 13 and allowed a solo homer to Weston Wilson among five hits in five innings in 1-0 loss to the Seattle Mariners. Fried was 0-1 with a 1.82 ERA in five starts after returning from his initial two-month absence before being placed on the injured list Aug. 17.

The left-hander is 4-1 with a 1.88 ERA in six career starts against Boston.

“He has responded well,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said of Fried. “Actually, similar to how he responded the first time when he left Baltimore and missed more time. He has kind of responded well to that time and then the buildup. Like, he’s never really been shut down.”

The Red Sox are 9-10 in their past 19 games following a 32-5 stretch that included a 15-game winning streak. Boston has not scored since Jarren Duran hit a grand slam in the 11th inning of Tuesday’s 7-3 win over the host Miami Marlins.

Rafaela had two hits Friday but was doubled off first base once and later thrown out at home plate in a game in which the Red Sox had six walks, went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position and stranded 10.

“We just didn’t probably execute when we needed to,” Rafaela said after Boston was blanked in consecutive games for the first time this season. “I made some dumb decisions. We come back tomorrow, and win two and win the other one, we win the series. That’s the plan – win the series and go home.”

Rookie left-hander Jake Bennett (8-6, 3.49), who limited the Yankees to one run on three hits in 6 1/3 innings June 27 while opposing Cole, starts the opener. Since facing New York, Bennett is 6-3 with a 4.61 ERA in his past nine starts and earned the win when he allowed four runs in seven innings against San Francisco on Sunday.

The Red Sox did not announce their pitching plans for the second game and may use an opener followed by Brayan Bello as a bulk reliever.

–Field Level Media

Marlins’ Gusto Downs the Red Sox

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MIAMI – (Wire Service Report) – Single runs in the first two innings and Ryan Gusto’s 5 2/3 shutout frames propelled the Miami Marlins to a 4-0 win over the visiting Boston Red Sox on Wednesday night.

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The Marlins tagged Boston starter Sonny Gray (16-4) for two hits in each of the first two frames, but four Red Sox errors had a major impact on all of the scoring.

Javier Sanoja went 3-for-4 with an RBI and three stolen bases, while Otto Lopez (2-for-4, two stolen bases, two runs scored) and Heriberto Hernandez (2-for-4, RBI) also had multi-hit games to help the Marlins salvage the three-game series.

Gusto (1-3) struck out two while working around four hits and three walks en route to his first victory of the season. Victor Vodnik, Janson Junk and Dax Fulton all worked in relief to preserve the shutout.

The Red Sox managed only five hits. Caleb Durbin was 2-for-4.

Three batters in, Hernandez’s RBI single past diving shortstop Andruw Monasterio brought Kyle Stowers home. Stowers lined a leadoff single to right before advancing to third on Boston first baseman Nick Sogard’s throwing error while attempting to turn a 3-6 double play.

After Gusto stranded the bases loaded on only one Anthony Seigler hit in the top of the second, Lopez generated Miami’s second run after starting the inning with a knock to left. Following Boston center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela’s diving catch on an Owen Caissie liner into the gap, Lopez stole second and scored on catcher Connor Wong’s off-targer throw.

Gray did his part to keep the Red Sox in the game, stranding two runners in scoring position in back-to-back frames. The righty capped the second with two strikeouts before left fielder Jarren Duran’s sliding catch near the foul line robbed Caissie in the third.

Meanwhile, Gusto turned aside the Red Sox in 1-2-3 fashion in both the fourth and fifth innings before Vodnik helped him through a two-on, two-out jam by catching Seigler looking to end the sixth.

The Marlins tacked on crucial insurance runs in the eighth. Lopez’s single, stolen base and advancement on another Wong misfire set up Caissie, who brought the run home on a hard grounder that Sogard misplayed. Two batters later, Sanoja lined an RBI single up the middle.

–Field Level Media

 

TL’s Sunday Sports Notes – August 23

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By TERRY LYONS, Editor-in-Chief, Digital Sports Desk

Editor’s Note: This is an all-out plea for the readers of the column to stick with this one. It weaves some Lyons family history, memories of the ‘60s and early ‘70s, the golden age of airplane travel, and then goes full circle to the NBA and many a wonderful travel experience all over the world.

Saturday night readers might park this one for Sunday morning and a cup of coffee to take time to read it in full. My thanks for indulging some glorious TL reminiscing.

LOGAN AIRPORT (Boston) – The various airline advertising slogans remain clear in my mind. Maybe the most memorable was New York Knicks announcer Marv Albert proclaiming Eastern Airlines as – “The Wings of Man.” Another great one was, “Fly the Friendly Skies of United.” or you could “Fly the American Way.” or later “We’re American Airlines Doing What We Do Best.”

A good seat behind home plate at Shea Stadium gave fans a view of the “Serval Zippers” sign and about 100 yards away was a flashing Delta Airlines sign that proclaimed “FLY DELTA ATLANTA” and “FLY DELTA CHICAGO” or a few other great American cities. Of course, you might remember a catchy slogan that reminded travelers, “Delta Is Ready When You Are.”

My father worked for Pan American World Airways, as did my older brother years later. Pan American was known as the “World’s Most Experienced Airline” and later stated “Pan Am Makes the Going Great.”

There’s no doubt, the Madison Avenue ad agencies did a great job for a highly competitive industry. At that point in time, Pan Am and Trans World Airways (TWA) were the two USA-based airlines flying worldwide routes. Pan Am did not have any domestic routes until it flew to Los Angeles in the 1980s as a way of serving the South Pacific and Pacific Rim.

I can vividly remember going down to JFK to either drop my Dad off or pick him up from an international business trip (often to/from Frankfurt, Germany, a major inventory control hub for the airline, servicing aircraft in Europe.

On those trips to the Pan Am Worldport – a brand new terminal at JFK, away from the fray of the International Arrivals Building – we had our way exploring the entire terminal and covering every inch of the circular, space age, flying saucer look of an airline terminal stacked with 747s as far as the eye could see.

Security was not as extensive as it is today, so a 12 year old boy could stroll through the entire terminal, gazing at all the destinations Pan Am served, and because of the flying privileges provided to immediate family of a Pan Am employee, we could grab our U.S. Passports and fly to every city across the globe. You name it: Mexico City, London, Paris, Cologne, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Tel Aviv, Sydney, Melbourne, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Tokyo, Osaka, Calcutta, Prague, Nairobi, Moscow, Beirut, Tehran or Istanbul. (I’ve been to 14 of the 20 listed).

But, wait? Did you say Istanbul?

Yes, late Sunday night I’ll be boarding Turkish Air Flight 82 from Boston to Istanbul to assist with a week’s worth of work for the NBA Basketball School – Türkiye which will coincide (and run side-by-side) with Basketball Without Borders, an incredible joint-venture staged by the NBA and FIBA.

The details of this specific Basketball w/o Borders can be found in the league’s official press announcement – HERE. There is a major difference between this camp and many of the others conducted as far back as 2001. Rather than staging camps continent by continent, the 2026 version will bring approximately 80 players from all around the world to one location – Basketbol Gelişim Merkezi – in Istanbul. NBA and FIBA players do one-to-one training, and the 17-year old prospects are instructed with shooting drills, movement efficiency, skill development stations, 3-on-3 competitions, life-skills seminars, and 5-on-5 game competition.

The NBA Basketball School – Türkiye – which runs 365 days a year throughout the entire country, shows campers (boys/girls – ages 6+) the NBA way of training and skill development.

Next week’s column will underline some of the highlights from the camps, which begin on Wednesday, August 26.

To tie this column opener in a bow, it is very important to me to show appreciation for the privilege of traveling to countries and experiencing cultures all around the world. Those less fortunate sometimes are unable to leave their town, county or state. But, as part of a wonderful family, complete with unlimited Pan Am flight benefits, I was able to travel the world.

Then, at the NBA, the serious traveling came about – and I don’t mean the kind called by recent Hall of Fame inductee Joe Crawford. Yes, that little round basketball brought us all to places we’d never even dreamt of seeing. Friendships were built, right on the hardwood, and both the memories and the friendships seem to be everlasting.

So, indulge me for a second as I list a few of those sights and memories – stream of consciousness style. These are all things I never dreamt of seeing and visited them because of the NBA, Basketball w/o Borders, USA Basketball, and the FIBA Worlds and Olympic Games. Here’s just a few:

  1. The site of the road into Jerusalem on a ride from Tel Aviv.
  2. Standing in Tiananmen Square in Beijing in 2004 and 2005 having experienced the very first NBA China Games and the first NBA Basketball w/o Borders – Asia with Yao Ming but thinking of what took place right there, 15 years prior in a 1989 uprising. I could visualize the never-identified protestor staring down four tanks in the middle of Chang’an Avenue. (I did a video greeting for Ed Desser’s NBA retirement party right there, and we were chased away by security).
  3. First glimpse of the Acropolis at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. You turn one corner downtown, and it’s there.
  4. Anytime and every time riding through the streets of London, Paris or Rome and seeing Big Ben, the Eiffel Tower, or the Colosseum.
  5. Prior to NBA travel, setting foot just barely across the border from West Germany to East Germany where barbed wire fences lined the perimeter of East Germany as far as the eye could see.
  6. That first step into Red Square and the sight of a stunning St. Basil’s Cathedral (The Cathedral of Vasily the Blessed).
  7. Cruising Sydney Harbor with the sight of the Olympic Rings adorning Sydney Harbour Bridge, the famous Sydney Opera House right there in living color.
  8. The all-out beauty of the City of Bruges in Belgium.
  9. And, personal favorites before my BIG favorite: Montjuïc in Barcelona, the beaches of Maui, Montauk and Chatham, Massachusetts, Wrigley Field in Chicago, the Gold Coast along the shore in Australia, not far from Brisbane, the beauty of Prague, the tremendous dinners in Milan and Bologna, catching NHL games in Toronto and Montreal, the airport approach with the city of Vancouver glistening to your side, holding theatre tickets to a show and walking to the West End of London, the beautiful blue waters of the Caribbean, the sight of freshly picked cucumbers and tomatoes in Suhumi, Russia, or Tiblisi, Republic of Georgia, or Vilnius, Lithuania, walking the entirety of the Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, seeing Mount Fuji in the distance in Japan, the glaciers of Alaska upon landing on a one-stop to Asia, the views from a hotel room window staring out at Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong, visting a U.S. Army base on the North Korean border, standing in Vatican City’s St. Peter’s Square and walking into St. Peter’s Basilica, the site of The Last Supper painting in Milan, standing on The Great Wall of China, a walk through Mexico City’s historic district and Zócalo Square, which leads me to my favorite, to be experienced this week …
  10. A boat ride up the Bosphorus River in Istanbul from Europe into Asia … last experienced with Bill and Lori Walton in the Summer of 2004 on the way to the Athens Olympics. There’s nothing like seeing the Blue Mosque, then the Bosphorus Bridge, now known as 15 July Martyrs Bridge.

I’ll be thinking about Bill, Rest in Grateful Peace.

HERE NOW, THE NOTES: After that lengthy stroll around the globe, there’s a nice surprise awaiting the readers of “The Column,” also known as “While We’re Young (Ideas).

Last weekend, there was quite a tribute to the NBA’s Leah Wilcox in this space, as Ms. Wilcox – we’ll call her Leah – was the very worthy recipient of the John Bunn Award – the Basketball Hall of Fame’s highest honor, just this side of enshrinment.

There are several other people who deserve mention and equal tribute in the column. I mentioned Joey Crawford, but how about Mike “The Czar of the Telestrator” Fratello, a dear friend and traveling companion to all parts of Russia and Lithuania.

There was one inductee who deserves special mention. He was inducted as a contributor, but he could’ve been honored for his pro playing career for Olimpia Milano or his European coaching achievements or – maybe most importantly – for changing the game of basketball forever when he coached in the NBA.

Yes, Mike D’Antoni, a very close friend along with his wife, Laurel, was honored in Springfield, and I was lucky enough to catch up with them at the Mohegan Sun (Connecticut) the night before at the Hall’s family “gala,” a much less formal event.

This columnist was all geared up to pay tribute to Mike, then along came an outstanding piece from NBA great (GM, Asst GM, PR man, USOC rep and all around wonderful guy) Tommy Sheppard, and with his permission I’m passing it along.

He wrote: “Some people win in the game. A rare few actually change the game. Mike D’Antoni did both.

Congratulations to the entire Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2026:

Joey Crawford

Mark Few

Doc Rivers

Amar’e Stoudemire

Elena Delle Donne

Chamique Holdsclaw

Candace Parker

Mike D’Antoni

and the 1996 United States Women’s National Team.

Every one of them has a story worthy of Springfield.

This class is especially meaningful to me because of Mike D’Antoni and his family.

Mike and I first crossed paths when he came to work with the Denver Nuggets. More than 25 years later, I am fortunate to count him as a very close friend. Knowing Mike and his family for all these years has given me an even greater appreciation for everything he has accomplished — and for the person he is away from the court.

Long before “pace and space” became part of basketball’s everyday vocabulary, Mike saw the game differently.

And he had the courage to coach it differently.

His Phoenix Suns teams changed basketball.

“Seven Seconds or Less” was about pace, spacing, shooting and decision-making. Steve Nash pushed the ball, Amar’e Stoudemire attacked the rim, and Mike trusted his players to play fast, make reads, and share the ball.

The results speak for themselves: 253–136 (.650) in Phoenix, four straight seasons with at least 54 wins, two Western Conference Finals appearances, and NBA Coach of the Year in 2005. He won the award again with Houston in 2017.

Spanning 16 seasons as an NBA head coach, Mike won 672 regular-season games and another 54 in the playoffs.

But his basketball story is so much bigger than his NBA coaching record.

Mike played professionally in the NBA and ABA before becoming a legend with Olimpia Milano, winning five Italian championships and two European Cups during a remarkable 13-year playing career.

He also represented his country as an assistant coach with USA Basketball, helping Team USA bring home the gold at the 2008 Olympics, 2010 FIBA World Championship, and 2012 Olympics.

That is quite a basketball journey.

NBA. ABA. Italy. USA Basketball. Player. Coach. Innovator, and now: Hall of Famer.

And yet, for those of us who know Mike and his family, the wins and awards only tell part of the story.

Mike has always been generous with his time, his knowledge, and his friendship. He loves the game, loves talking about the game and has never stopped looking for a better way to play it.

That curiosity helped change basketball.

Look around the game today — pace, space, early offense, shooting, smaller lineups and giving players the freedom to make decisions — and Mike D’Antoni’s fingerprints are everywhere.

Congratulations to Mike, Laurel and the entire D’Antoni family. I could not be happier for all of you.

And congratulations to every member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2026.

What a well-deserved honor.

TIDBITS & NUGGETS: This column and its sister-pub, “PGA Tour Brunch” follow the game of professional golf as close as anyone not traveling every stop on the Tour. That said, if you can figure out and share what the PGA TOUR office and – for that matter – the LIV Golf conglomerate – have in mind for the 2027 season, please let us all know.

There once was a promise to return to the Greater Boston area with a tournament every other year. After the Deutsche Bank Championship became the Dell Technologies Championship became The Northern Trust and moved to Liberty National in New Jersey for a year, men’s pro golf returned to TPC Boston for its last go ‘round.

Now, thankfully, the LPGA makes a stop at TPC Boston for the FM Championship – No Static at All – from August 27-30th.

But, as the Tour re-shuffled its priorities, its Playoffs, its Signature events, and a new system to get to the ever-changing FedEx Cup Playoffs, the Greater Boston area was left off the list. New England’s lone Tour event remains at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut – a stone’s throw from Hartford.

That is a wonderful event, but Boston deserves better as the Labor Day weekend tournament of yesteryear has faded away, like a Cape Cod sunset in late September.

By the way, two tournaments in the great State of Hawaii are gone, too.

It’s a cryin’ shame – a quadruple bogey.

Duran’s Slam Beats Marlins in 10

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MIAMI – (Wire Service Report) – Jarren Duran slugged a grand slam in the 11th inning as the Boston Red Sox defeated the host Miami Marlins 7-3 on Tuesday night.

Mickey Gasper homered twice for the Red Sox, who have won five straight games.

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Gasper, waived by the Nationals in January and demoted by the Red Sox to the minors in late May, has five homers in his past eight games. Prior to that, he had no homers in 109 at-bats in the majors this season.

Boston, leading 3-2, nearly won the game in the 10th inning. Rookie reliever Wyatt Olds, pitching with two outs and runners on second and third, struck out Javier Sanoja. However, catcher Connor Wong couldn’t corral the wild pitch, and Brian Navaretto scored from third.

Boston scored in the top of the 10th inning on a cross-up passed ball.

The Marlins, who have lost two straight, were led by Heriberto Hernandez, who slugged a solo home run. It was his team-high 20th homer of the season.

Neither starter earned a decision. Boston’s Payton Tolle struck out seven and allowed two runs in 5 1/3 innings.

Miami’s Tyler Phillips lasted 4 2/3 innings, allowing one run and tying his career high with seven strikeouts.

In fact, Phillips struck out the side in the first inning before allowing Gasper’s first homer in the second inning. Phillips didn’t throw a bad pitch — 96 mph at the bottom of the zone — but Gasper slugged it 394 feet to center.

Miami loaded the bases with one out in the fifth as Xavier Edwards doubled, Griffin Conine singled and Esteury Ruiz walked. Navarreto, Miami’s third-string catcher, then fouled off six pitches before lofting a sacrifice fly to cap a 10-pitch plate appearance, tying the score 1-1.

Both teams scored a run in the sixth as Gasper homered on a 418-foot bomb off reliever Tyler Zuber and Hernandez went deep on a 3-2 cutter from Tolle. That blast was measured at 403 feet.

Miami nearly went ahead in the seventh as pinch hitter Jakob Marsee singled and advanced on Navarreto’s sacrifice bunt, but was thrown out at home by first baseman Willson Contreras on Otto Lopez’s infield single.

–Field Level Media

Playoffs On Line for Sox and Marlins

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MIAMI – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – With the regular season winding down, the Miami Marlins’ road to a playoff spot already looked to be a perilous one.

Now they may be without their closer.

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After starting the ninth inning of Monday night’s eventual 4-2 loss to the visiting Boston Red Sox, Marlins closer Pete Fairbanks threw only five pitches before leaving the game with an injury. He walked the one batter he faced and ultimately took the loss.

“He has some nerve irritation,” Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said of Fairbanks, who leads the team with 18 saves. “There’s some concern. We will get it looked at, and we’ll wait to see the results.”

The Marlins are not currently in playoff position but still have a shot at a wild-card berth. They sit four games behind San Diego for the final playoff spot in the National League. Miami also saw its three-game winning streak end. The Marlins did get first baseman Kyle Stowers off the injured list on Monday but now have to deal with the Fairbanks situation.

“We’ve had a number of individuals go down for periods of time this year,” McCullough said. “We’ll go with what we have available. A number of our (relievers) have experience pitching in different spots, and we will lean on that.”

Stowers, an All-Star last year, went 1-for-4 with a double and two strikeouts on Monday. He also failed to get to a ball that ended up being an RBI single in the ninth inning, perhaps due to his hamstring injury.

McCullough, though, said he was pleased with Stowers.

“The swing he had on the double — staying on a breaking ball like that from Ranger Suarez — was very impressive. (Stowers) seemed confident in the box. It was nice to have him in there.”

Meanwhile, the Red Sox are rolling. They had a brief slump following their historic 27-3 run, but they have now recovered, winning four straight games.

Chad Tracy, Boston’s interim manager, said he’s happy with his offense, and it showed on Monday as the Red Sox rallied after trailing 1-0 and 2-1.

“We’re able to fight back,” Tracy said, “and then our pitchers put up zeroes.”

Red Sox shortstop Nick Sogard, who hit leadoff on Monday and went 1-for-5 with a ninth-inning RBI, also earned praise from Tracy.

“The cool thing is that Nick has shown the ability, for an extended time, to drive the ball for extra-base hits,” Tracy said. “You’re seeing some big-time production, power side.”

Indeed, Sogard has 12 extra-base hits in 36 games this season, posting an .812 OPS.

“His game is that he doesn’t swing at balls,” Tracy said. “He drags out at-bats, and he finds his way to first base. Regardless of where he’s hitting in the lineup, he’s giving us good at-bats.”

As for Tuesday’s pitching matchup, Boston is starting lefty Payton Tolle (8-6, 3.08 ERA), who is nearing the one-year anniversary of his major league debut (Aug. 29, 2025). He has yet to face the Marlins.

Tolle has won four straight decisions and is 2-0 with a 2.16 ERA in four starts this month.

The Marlins will hand the ball to Tyler Phillips (3-6, 3.67), who has made 31 appearances this season, 14 as a starter. He made 12 straight starts from June 11-Aug. 13 (4.88 ERA in 55 1/3 innings) but worked out of the bullpen his last time out on Aug. 18, when he pitched two innings and allowed one run on two hits against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Phillips has faced the Red Sox once in his career, serving as a reliever and getting credited for the win with one hitless, scoreless inning in August 2025.

–Field Level Media

Seigler Powers Sox to Win Over Miami

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MIAMI – (Wire Service Report) – Anthony Seigler hit a go-ahead RBI triple in the top of the ninth inning as the Boston Red Sox rallied to defeat the Marlins 4-2 on Monday night in Miami.

In a game where “Let’s Go Red Sox” chants could be heard into the ninth inning, Aroldis Chapman pitched a scoreless ninth to earn his 30th save.

It was the fourth straight win for the Red Sox, who threw out two Marlins runners at the plate — by first baseman Willson Contreras in the seventh and by reliever Erik Miller in the eighth. Miller (3-0) earned the win.

Marlins closer Pete Fairbanks (4-5) left the game in the ninth inning after just five pitches due to an unspecified injury. The only batter he faced, Mickey Gasper, walked. After Eli White replaced Gasper as a pinch runner, White scored on Seigler’s triple off Tyler Zuber.

Neither Miami’s Sandy Alcantara nor Boston’s Ranger Suarez earned a decision, each allowing one run while working around frequent trouble.

Alcantara, who threw 102 pitches, achieved his sixth straight quality start, going seven innings and allowing just six hits and two walks.

Suarez went five innings and needed 93 pitches after allowing four hits, four walks and two hit batters. He allowed a baserunner in every inning and at least two baserunners in four of his five frames.

In the second, the Marlins loaded the bases with no outs on a walk and two hit batters. But Suarez minimized the damage, allowing only Otto Lopez’s sacrifice fly.

Boston finally got to Alcantara in the fifth as Gasper slugged a 394-foot RBI double off the center field fence, scoring Jarren Duran from first. Miami’s Jakob Marsee almost caught the drive, but the ball ticked off his glove as he crashed into the wall.

The Red Sox loaded the bases with one out in the seventh as Duran hit a hustle double and Alcantara walked a pair. But Alcantara struck out Nick Sogard and got Ceddanne Rafaela on a fly out to end his night on a high note.

Miami took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the seventh, scoring off reliever Brayan Bello. Miami loaded the bases with one out on Lopez’s double and two walks. Xavier Edwards cashed in with an RBI single past a drawn-in infield.

But Boston got that run back in the eighth as Wilyer Abreu lined a leadoff double off the right field wall before eventually scoring on a wild pitch by reliever Josh Ekness.

In the ninth, Seigler’s line drive down the line in right made it 3-2, and Sogard added an RBI single.

–Field Level Media

Arctos Buys 10% of NFL’s Falcons

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ATLANTA – (Wire Service Report) Arctos Partners is adding a fourth NFL franchise to its portfolio by purchasing a 10% stake in the Atlanta Falcons, Front Office Sports and CNBC reported.

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The private equity firm already owns stakes in the Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns and Los Angeles Chargers.

The deal with Arctos includes a $10.6 billion valuation for the Falcons. Arctos will acquire the 10% stake in two stages, starting with a 7.5% stake, according to Sportico. A vote on the transaction is planned for October.

According to NFL rules, a private equity firm can invest in no more than six teams and the maximum stake size is 10%.

Falcons owner Arthur Blank owns about 73% of the team but it is unclear whether his shares are involved in the deal with Arctos, according to Front Office Sports.

Arctos, which is owned by the sports management company KKR & Co. Inc., also holds a stake in several franchises in the NBA, NHL and MLB.

–Field Level Media

Strange Night at Fenway

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By TERRY LYONS

BOSTON – Maybe it was the humid summer weather turning to sub-70 degrees and a chill setting in at Fenway Park? Or, maybe it was the fact the MLB umpires went to “Fall” gear? Maybe it was the fact the crowd of 37,007 gave former Red Sox star Rafael Devers the cold shoulder and a chorus of boos as he was announced pre-game and later when he took his first at bat in his old ballpark? Maybe it was former Sox pitcher, World Champion and Duckboat Captain Jake Peavy‘s presence in the building?

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Then again, maybe it was the fact two very good starting pitchers – Logan Webb (8-7, 3.50 ERA) of the San Francisco Giants and Sonny Gray (15-3, 2.65 ERA) – both struggling from the get-go, not sharp with extremely high pitch counts early in the game?

Boston prevailed, taking the first game of a three game series, 6-4. The Giants have lost nine of their last 12 games and stand at (52-76) on the season. Boston improved to (69-59)m three and one on the current six-game homestead and 5-3 over their last eight games. The Red Sox are 23-11 since the MLB All-Star break and 32-11 over their last 43 games.  Boston’s home record improved to 15-5 since the All-Star break and 20-7 in their last 27 home games, doing back to June 25.

Early on Friday night, Webb was sent packing after 2.2 innings pitched, five earned runs against, six hits, three walks and a hit batsman, as he threw 70 pitches with 41 strikes. He also let up a home run to Sox first baseman Willson Contreras in the third inning when Boston batted around and scored five runs on four hits but left three men on base.

On the other side of the scorebook, Red Sox ace and current Cy Young award contender, Sonny Gray, toughed it out for six innings, allowing four earned runs and seven hits while throwing 97 pitches (60 strikes). Gray allowed two home runs, back-to-backs, to centerfielder Drew Gilbert and then a meaningful drive to dead-center by Devers. The two HRs cut the Red Sox early lead to 5-3 in the fourth.

Boston picked up an important insurance run in the sixth inning when second baseman Nick Sogard singled to left and right fielder Wilyer Abreu knocked him in with a triple to right. That run closed out the scoring at 6-4 and a combination of Boston relievers Erik Miller, Alec Gamboa and then closer Aroldis Chapman cemented the victory for Gray, now (16-3).

Chapman struck out the Giants side in the top of the ninth to earn his 28th save of the season. Since Boston had trailed 1-0 in the top of the third inning, it earned its 30th come-from-behind victory.

The two clubs play the middle game of their three-game set on Saturday, a rare 7:15pm Saturday night special. San Francisco’s Blade Tidwell (0-0, 4.33 ERA) and Boston’s LHP Patrick Sandoval (1-2, 4.76 ERA) will take the mound in a game nationally telecast on FOX television.