Royals Blanked by Red Sox in Penultimate Game Before All-Star Break
The Royals got within one game of the third American League Wild Card spot with a 6-1 road win over the Boston Red Sox on Friday. Saturday was not as kind to the visitors, as Boston got one back at Fenway Park, blanking Kansas City on a day where newly minted All-Star Seth Lugo didn't have it.
Boston's pitching staff, led by right-hander Kutter Crawford, limited the Royals (52-44) to just four hits in a 5-0 win. Crawford pitched seven innings of two-hit baseball, earning the win, while Lugo was hit with the loss after five innings and five runs. The Red Sox got on the board initially in the second inning with an RBI double by catcher Reese McGuire, scoring Dominic Smith. Crawford left the game after surrendering a leadoff single in the eighth. The loss on Lugo's record was just his fourth of the campaign.
In the bottom of the third, Boston (52-42) did the bulk of its damage, adding three runs. First, right fielder Wilyer Abreu doubled home designated hitter Masataka Yoshida. Smith later hit a two-RBI single sharply to right field, scoring Abreu and star third baseman Rafael Devers. Devers closed out the scoring with a solo home run (his 22nd this season) to lead off the bottom half of the fifth inning.
The result continues a long run of relative dominance by the Red Sox whilst they are wearing their yellow-and-blue City Connect uniforms, which whether by circumstance or otherwise, have yielded much success. In any case, after new All-Star Cole Ragans pitched seven innings in a one-run effort Friday, Boston responded by tagging the other Kansas City All-Star pitcher. Once again, the Royals' bullpen was solid, led by Kris Bubic's two shutout frames. However, Kansas City left six men on base, and the script flipped from Friday's game in terms of which offensive lineup couldn't get going.
One game remains at the iconic Fenway Park until the All-Star break, set for a 12:35 p.m. CT first pitch. The Royals' Brady Singer will put his 2.93 earned run average on the line opposite young Red Sox hurler Brayan Bello for a chance to win the series. The two teams have now scored an equal number of runs this series, as Boston's mark Saturday brings the weekend total to six.
WILL MILLER