Kansas City Royals Get Roughed Up By Boston Red Sox 7-3

The Kansas City Royals and the Boston Red Sox headed into this matchup as two teams trending in opposite directions. The Royals had just swept the Milwaukee Brewers and had the best record in the American League. The Red Sox were coming off a series where their overall focus and desire to win were called into question. It seemed a foregone conclusion that the Royals would continue to roll.

Well, someone forgot to tell the Red Sox about that plan. They jumped out on the recently recalled Yohan Pino in the second, plating five runs in the frame. Mike Napoli had a two run base hit, and after a walk, Blake Swihart had a two run double. Mookie Betts‘ base hit to right gave the Red Sox a 5-0 lead.

That would be more than enough for Boston’s wunderkind Eduardo Rodriguez. Rodriguez, who was hammered in his previous start held the Royals to only one run, courtesy of consecutive doubles by Omar Infante and Alcides Escobar, in 6.1 innings. He allowed six hits and a walk, striking out five.

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Pino did manage to settle down after that rough second inning, but the damage had already been done. He allowed six runs, as a Hanley Ramirez solo home run in the fifth accounted for the other run, in his 5.1 innings of work. The Red Sox worked Pino over for eleven hits and a walk without striking out.

Boston added another run in the seventh. With runners on the corners and one out, Ramirez singled to left, giving the Red Sox a 7-1 lead. They had the chance to add on yet another run, but Betts was thrown out at home attempting to score on a ground ball to third.

The Royals finally began to put together a bit of a comeback in the latter part of the game. Eric Hosmer homered with two outs in the eighth, and the Royals put runners on first and second after a base hit and a walk. However, Drew Butera, in to give Salvador Perez a bit of a rest, struck out to end the threat. Mike Moustakas gave the Royals another run with a two out double in the ninth, but it was not enough as the Red Sox held on for the 7-3 victory.

Eric Hosmer and Kendrys Morales each had two hits in the Kansas City Royals loss.

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