Trevor Story hits tiebreaking double in 10th as Red Sox beat Blue Jays 6-5

TORONTO (AP) — Trevor Story hit a tiebreaking double in a three-run 10th inning, and the Boston Red Sox rallied past the Toronto Blue Jays 6-5 on Tuesday night.

“The boys did an amazing job of fighting all the way to the end,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “We used everybody. It was one of the most gratifying wins since I’ve been here.”

Vaughn Grissom reached base four times, scored once and drove in a run as the Red Sox won their fourth straight.

Boston trailed 3-0 after six innings, scored two in the seventh and tied it in the eighth.

“It’s just a testament to who we are as a group, that we’re never out of a fight,” Grissom said. “That’s what you need. The best teams are never out of the fight. That’s huge.”

Story went 2 for 5 with two doubles. He gave Boston its first lead with his one-out two-bagger off Tommy Nance (0-3) that began a three-run 10th.

“He got a slider in the zone and put a great swing on it,” Cora said.

Pinch-hitter Connor Wong drove in a run with a grounder and Grissom added an RBI single.

Chris Martin (3-1) worked a scoreless ninth.

Toronto lost its fifth straight. The Blue Jays are 19-30 in one-run games.

Leo Jiménez cut it to 6-4 in the bottom of the 10th with an RBI double off Zach Penrod, who exited after walking Nathan Lukes.

Chase Shugart got Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to fly out, walked Spencer Horwitz to load the bases, then walked Alejandro Kirk to force in a run. Shugart then ended it by getting Addison Barger to pop up. The save was the first of his career.

The Blue Jays have lost all five home meetings with Boston this season.

Guerrero opened the scoring with a two-run double off Brayan Bello in the third. He has 102 RBIs this season.

Lukes made it 3-0 with a sacrifice fly in the sixth.

Ceddanne Rafaela started Boston’s comeback with a two-run single off Ryan Burr in the seventh. Rafaela has 61 RBIs from the ninth spot in the order this season.

Boston tied it against Génesis Cabrera in the eighth. Romy Gonzalez led off with a single, advanced to third on a hit by Triston Casas and scored on Masataka Yoshida’s grounder.

In his final start of the season, Toronto’s Bowden Francis pitched five scoreless innings. He allowed three hits, walked one and struck out four.

“Just another outstanding effort,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “You can’t really say enough about how he finished up the season.”

Francis went 4-2 with a 1.33 ERA over his final eight starts, twice taking no-hit bids into the ninth inning.

ROSTER MOVES

Blue Jays: Toronto optioned RHP Zach Pop to its spring training facility and recalled LHP Easton Lucas from Triple-A Buffalo. ... INF Orelvis Martinez was reinstated from the suspended list and optioned to the spring facility. To make room on the 40-man roster, OF Daulton Varsho was transferred to the 60-day injured list. Varsho had shoulder surgery on Monday.

UP NEXT

Toronto RHP Kevin Gausman (13-11, 3.91 ERA) is scheduled to make his final start of the season in Wednesday’s series finale. Red Sox RHP Richard Fitts (0-0, 0.00) is set for his fourth career start.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Boston Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela hits an RBI single during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Boston Red Sox's Jarren Duran rounds the bases to score a run on a Trevor Story RBI double against the Toronto Blue Jays during the 10th inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Boston Red Sox's Masataka Yoshida grounds into a fielder's choice scoring a run during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. breaks his bat over his knee after flying out against the Boston Red Sox in the 10th inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Boston Red Sox's Ceddanne Rafaela celebrates after hitting an RBI single during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. breaks his bat over his knee after flying out against the Boston Red Sox in the 10th inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Boston Red Sox's Trevor Story advances to third base during the 10th inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Boston Red Sox's Trevor Story hits a go-ahead RBI double during the 10th inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Boston Red Sox' Triston Casas sits at second base after being tagged out in a double play during the fourth inning of a baseball action against the Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays' Joey Loperfido, left, steals second base ahead of the tag from Boston Red Sox second baseman Vaughn Grissom (5) during the third inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays' Davis Schneider, left, scores a run as Boston Red Sox pitcher Lucas Sims, right, looks on during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Boston Red Sox's Danny Jansen (28) grounds out as Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk (30) looks on during the third inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) celebrates his two-run double against the Boston Red Sox during the third inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Boston Red Sox's Vaughn Grissom, right, slides safely into second base in front of the tag from Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Davis Schneider during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Boston Red Sox' Triston Casas sits at second base after being tagged out in a double play during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Boston Red Sox's Wilyer Abreu reacts after fouling out against the Toronto Blue Jays during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) hits a two-run double against the Boston Red Sox during the third inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Ernie Clement (28) tags out Boston Red Sox's Triston Casas (36) at second base during the fourth inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

Boston Red Sox's Jarren Duran, center, celebrates with Romy Gonzalez (23) and Ceddanne Rafaela after their team's win over the Toronto Blue Jays in a baseball game in Toronto, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP)

ATLANTA (AP) — Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor missed his eighth straight game with back discomfort Tuesday night but was on deck to pinch hit when New York made the final out of a 5-1 loss to the Atlanta Braves.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Lindor “could be in play" for Wednesday — although heavy rain is in the forecast.

Prior to the opener of a critical three-game series, Lindor spoke with reporters wearing a heavy heat wrap on his back and said he would work out before the game to determine if he was healthy enough to come off the bench. Lindor had a bone scan Monday that revealed no structural damage to his back, which he said meant there would likely be no further threat of injury if he tried to play.

“He’s going to try to push it again and he’s going to let me know if he is available for today or not,” Mendoza said before the game. “That was the case on Sunday, and after the workout, he said he was not there yet. He's going to be very honest with us. He's not going to put himself at risk or the team at risk.”

Lindor has played only one inning in the past 10 games. But the Mets went 6-1 without him on a homestand that ended Sunday and they hold one of three National League wild cards with five games remaining in a tight race that also includes San Diego, Arizona and Atlanta.

Lindor said he would be willing to return as a designated hitter if the team felt that was best. He said he needs to get to the point where if he feels pain while playing, it does not linger.

“It is more important for me that the pain comes, and then goes,” Lindor said. “Before, when I hit the ball and started running, it wasn’t letting go. It can’t be that constant, I can’t move, I can’t move, I can’t move. That will put me in a spot where I can’t do what I need to do.”

Rookie infielder Luisangel Acuña has replaced Lindor at shortstop and fared well, batting .375 with three home runs since being called up from the minors on Sept. 14.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor sits in the dugout during the third inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)

New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor sits in the dugout during the third inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jason Allen)