Live Updates: Kansas City Royals at Boston Red Sox (Game Two)
The All-Star break is now firmly around the corner, and if things go the way the Royals want them to on Saturday, Kansas City can take home the series win in its second-to-last game of the pre-break slate. Despite the two teams being in third place in their respective divisions, the Royals (52-43) and Boston Red Sox (51-42) are playing good baseball.
On Friday night at Fenway Park, Kansas City won 6-1 and Red Sox hitters couldn't get much going off All-Star pitcher Cole Ragans. There's no rest for the weary, though, as Boston's reward for facing one All-Star is facing another on Saturday: Seth Lugo. Lugo and Ragans are both first timers to the Midsummer Classic, and Lugo is having a career season with an 11-3 record and 2.21 earned run average.
The series also has American League Wild Card implications, as the visiting Royals sit just one game back of the AL's final postseason spot, behind Boston. Friday's win was a strong start, and it always helps when a team holds its opponent's offense to one run across nine innings. First pitch Saturday is set for 3:10 p.m. CT.
Live Updates (most recent at top):
Top 9:
- Melendez grounds out to end the game. Series even. FINAL: Red Sox 5, Royals 0.
- Renfroe singles, and there are two on with two out.
- Perez keeps the game alive with a single.
- Pasquantino strikes out swinging.
- Witt Jr. strikes out swinging.
Bottom 8:
- McGuire strikes out looking. Last call coming for Kansas City, down 5-0.
- Smith strikes out swinging.
- Abreu lines out.
- Refsnyder gets aboard with a single.
- Nick Anderson is now on the mound for the Royals.
Top 8:
- Frazier grounds out, and Kansas City will be down to its final three outs in the next inning.
- Hampson grounds into a double play.
- Zack Kelly is now in to pitch for the Red Sox.
- Garcia hits a leadoff single off Crawford, who's still out there.
Bottom 7:
- Devers strikes out swinging. The score still sits at 5-0 Red Sox.
- Yoshida, likewise, grounds out.
- Hamilton grounds out.
Top 7:
- Fermin strikes out looking.
- Melendez pops out.
- Renfroe grounds out to short.
Bottom 6:
- Duran singles on a bunt then gets caught stealing to end the inning. Boston's lead remains at 5-0.
- Rafaela goes down swinging.
- McGuire grounds out.
- Kris Bubic is on to pitch for the Royals.
Top 6:
- Perez pops out to end the threat and keep the Royals off the board.
- Pasquantino singles, and runners are on first and third.
- Witt Jr. grounds into a fielder's choice, and Frazier is retired. Two outs.
- Frazier walks, and the Royals get only their third baserunner of the game.
- Hampson grounds out.
Bottom 5:
- Smith grounds out, ending the inning.
- Abreu flies out.
- Refsnyder strikes out swinging.
- Rafael Devers starts the inning with a solo home run, his 22nd of the season, on a payoff pitch. It is now 5-0, Boston.
Top 5:
- Garcia lines out to retire the side.
- Fermin lines out to right.
- Melendez strikes out swinging.
Bottom 4:
- Yoshida grounds into an inning-ending double play. Lugo needed that badly. Still 4-0, Red Sox.
- Hamilton singles to Renfroe.
- Duran grounds out to second.
Top 4:
- Renfroe grounds out, and the Royals remain scoreless.
- Perez strikes out on a foul tip.
- Pasquantino grounds out to second base.
Bottom 3:
- Rafaela strikes out swinging to end the inning, but the damage is done. Red Sox 4, Royals 0.
- Dominic Smith hits a two-RBI single, and just like that, it's 4-0 Boston.
- Abreu doubles in ground-rule fashion, and the Red Sox double the lead to 2-0.
- Refsnyder strikes out swinging after a long at-bat.
- Devers singles to left.
- Yoshida singles to right.
- Hamilton strikes out on a foul tip.
Top 3:
- Witt Jr. pops out to retire the side and strand the runner.
- Frazier flies out to center.
- Hampson sends a double to deep left and is in scoring position with one out.
- Maikel Garcia grounds out on the first pitch he sees.
Bottom 2:
- Lugo strikes out Duran, again stranding a runner in scoring position. Boston leads 1-0.
- Ceddane Rafaela grounds out, and the runner advances. Two out.
- Reese McGuire hits a double that scores Smith, and it's 1-0 Red Sox.
- Dominic Smith singles to right.
- Wilyer Abreu grounds out.
Top 2:
- Freddy Fermin grounds out to Devers for the third out.
- MJ Melendez is hit by a pitch.
- Hunter Renfroe files out to left.
- Salvador Perez pops out to Hamilton.
Bottom 1:
- Refsnyder lines out to Garrett Hampson, and Seth Lugo wiggles off the hook. No score for Boston.
- Rafael Devers grounds out to Frazier, but the runners advance. Two gone.
- Masataka Yoshida goes down looking on a 3-2 count for the first out.
- David Hamilton gets aboard with a walk.
- Jarren Duran gets things started with a leadoff double.
Top 1:
- Vinnie Pasquantino flies out to Rob Refnsyder. Three up, three down go the Royals in the first.
- Bobby Witt Jr. pops out to Dominic Smith.
- Adam Frazier starts the game with a swinging strikeout.
Pregame:
- Kansas City lineup: 1. Adam Frazier, second base; 2. Bobby Witt Jr., shortstop; 3. Vinnie Pasquantino, third base; 4. Salvador Perez, designated hitter; 5. Hunter Renfroe, right field; 6. MJ Melendez, left field; 7. Freddy Fermin, catcher; 8. Maikel Garcia, third base; 9. Garrett Hampson, center field; P: Seth Lugo (R)
- Boston lineup: 1. Jarren Duran, center field; 2. David Hamilton, second base; 3. Masataka Yoshida, designated hitter; 4. Rafael Devers, third base; 5. Rob Refsnyder, left field; 6. Wilyer Abreu, right field; 7. Dominic Smith, first base; 8. Reese McGuire, catcher; 9. Ceddane Rafaela, center field; P: Kutter Crawford (R)
WILL MILLER