The Boston Red Sox pounded out seven extra-base hits in a 9-5 defeat of the host Kansas City Royals on Saturday evening, snapping a five-game losing streak.
The Red Sox greeted Royals starter Alec Marsh (0-8) with four extra-base hits in the first inning, grabbing a 3-0 lead. Triston Casas drilled a two-run homer in the frame.
Enmanuel Valdez drove in a pair of runs with a two-out single as Boston (70-66) expanded its lead to 6-1 in the third, chasing Marsh after 2 2/3 innings. He allowed six runs on seven hits and two walks.
Rafael Devers led off the fourth with his second double of the game and the Red Sox soon took an 8-1 lead, and Trevor Story’s RBI double in the sixth made it 9-1.
Tanner Houck (4-8) exited after hitting Matt Beaty with a pitch, loading the bases in the sixth as Kansas City (42-95) sent nine batters to the plate, cutting the deficit to 9-4.
Houck went five-plus innings, allowing four runs on seven hits and a walk while fanning five to earn his first win since April 20.
Nelson Velazquez’s bad-hop RBI double got Kansas City on the board in the second. Velazquez had two hits and two RBIs.
MJ Melendez capped the scoring with a leadoff homer in the ninth. He reached base safely five times, with three hits, two walks and two RBIs.
Nick Pivetta earned his first save of the season and third of his career, striking out five over the final three frames.
Alex Verdugo was a home run shy of the cycle on Saturday. He led off the game with a triple, then doubled with two outs in the second and added a fifth-inning single. Verdugo has six multi-hit performances in his last 12 games, batting .357 with eight extra-base hits during that span.
Beaty was hit three times by pitches, setting a Royals club record.
The Royals have dropped 13 of their last 17 games.
–Field Level Media
