Final, Royals 4-3: Carl Crawford emerged from the bench with one on and one out, hitting for Jason Varitek.
Crawford took a breaking ball low and in from Joakim Soria and golfed it to the corner in right, where Jeff Francoeur fought a tough sun to make a twisting basket catch at the wall.
Most of the Red Sox players had already jumped onto the field in anticipation of a walk-off celebration, but they would go right back in. And that's where they would stay. Soria struck out Yamaico Navarro to end it and give the Royals a split.
Boston now heads off to Chicago for three straight. Tim Wakefield tries for career win No. 200 against Gavin Floyd on Friday night at 8:10 p.m. See you then, folks.
Mid 9th, Royals 4-3: Matt Albers is able to extend his scoreless streak to 13 1/3 innings. An assist came from the bench, and from Jason Varitek.
Albers gave up a one-out single to Chris Getz. On the first pitch to the next hitter, Alcides Escobar, the bench called for a pitchout and it worked to perfection as Varitek threw out Getz trying to steal with a one-hop dart. (Getz may have got a hand in, but for the sake of this update, let's not worry about that).
Albers would give up a hit and a walk to the next two hitters, making that caught stealing a huge one. He escaped with a fly to right, and we head to the last half of the ninth.
Boston has Josh Reddick, Drew Sutton and Jason Varitek scheduled. Wouldn't be shocking to see Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit for Varitek. (Update: Or Carl Crawford. He is hitting for Varitek. Didn't think he would be available, but there you go.)
End 8th, Royals 4-3: As predicted, the Red Sox were able to score once Luke Hochevar left the game, but that Dustin Pedroia homer was it.
Greg Holland got through the dangerous trio of Adrian Gonzalez, Kevin Youkilis and David Ortiz without much of a problem.
Joakim Soria is up and throwing in the bullpen for Kansas City.
Meanwhile, Matt Albers has emerged from Boston's. This is the third time Albers has appeared in the series.
Someone out there caught Pedroia's ball. I wonder if they reacted like this.
4:00 p.m.: The crowd got very loud as Dustin Pedroia stepped to the plate for what could be his last at-bat.
Pedroia did not disappoint, extending his career-long hitting streak to 25 games with a solo homer to left.
It is Pedroia's 15th of the year, two shy of his career high.
Mid 8th, Royals 4-2: You see it all the time. A team like the Red Sox does little against a starter who is on his game, and then goes nuts once a reliever enters the game.
Not saying it will happen, but Boston finally doesn't have to deal with Luke Hochevar.
Greg Holland, who threw two scoreless in the 14-inning win Monday, is on to begin the eighth.
Dustin Pedroia, still hitless, begins the frame.
End 7th, Royals 4-2: When Drew Sutton led off the bottom of the seventh with a single, you all felt it, right?
This was the inning. It always is.
Alas, Luke Hochevar is in command of things today. He gets the next three in order to finish seven for just the second time in his last six starts.
Franklin Morales jogs on in an effort to keep this one close.
Josh Beckett's line: 7 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 8 K.
Mid 7th, Royals 4-2: That's what they call emptying the tank, although when you do it mostly with off-speed stuff it's a bit different.
Still, Josh Beckett finished the seventh in a flourish, and that could be it for him. Or not. We will have to see.
With a runner on third and just one out, Beckett struck out Alex Gordon and then Mitch Maier (that one was on a heater, clocked at 94).
Beckett finishes the inning at 109 pitches. Nothing but stretching in the pen, so he may begin the eighth. (Update: Daniel Bard and Franklin Morales are loosening).
End 6th, Royals 4-2: I've said it a few times this series. Really like some things the Royals have going on.
In addition to guys like Eric Hosmer and a quality bullpen, Alcides Escobar continues to show why he has one of the finer gloves at the shortstop position with two sparkling plays for the first two outs of the sixth.
Luke Hochevar, a former No. 1 pick, has not lived up to expectations, but could still round into the kind of staff leader the club had hoped of him early on.
At the very least, Hochevar showed a little spunk by following up the Escobar gems with a three-pitch strikeout of Josh Reddick, the last of which saw Hochevar quick-pitch Reddick. The Red Sox right fielder just stared at the fastball and flung his bat in disgust.
Mid 6th, Royals 4-2: Josh Beckett is filling up the stat line. In addition to giving up four runs for just the third time this year, he has walked three for the first time in nearly two months.
Also on that line is seven strikeouts, the latest of which ended the sixth on Beckett's 95th pitch. He's been great again, with the exception of a span of five or six hitters in the fourth.
Right now, that's the difference.
End 5th, Royals 4-2: Dustin Pedroia is running out of chances to extend his hitting streak of 24 games.
Barring anything out of the ordinary, he will have one or two more trips to the plate.
Befitting a man who can do it all, Pedroia has still had a presence. He made a nice play in the field earlier in the game and just walked and stole his career-high 21st base in the fifth.
That put a man in scoring position for Adrian Gonzalez, but the ML leader in RBIs could only manage a grounder to second.
Mid 5th, Royals 4-2: A nice bounce-back inning for Josh Beckett as he gets the top of the order in order in the fifth.
Beckett has six strikeouts against two walks. Unfortunately, he bunched those two walks to start the fourth, setting the table for the big Royals rally.
Coffee time. Iced, of course.
End 4th, Royals 4-2: As Darnell McDonald warms up Josh Beckett between innings, we pass along this nugget regarding another guy who used to crouch behind the plate in Fenway.
Sticking with the theme of catchers (or guys who play one between innings), Jason Varitek struck out to finish the fourth, the second 1-2-3 inning of the game for Luke Hochevar.
Mid 4th, Royals 4-2: If you saw that coming, head to the corner store. There's a lottery ticket with your name on it.
After giving up one run in his last 18 innings, Josh Beckett gives up four in the fourth. And they were legit runs, nothing soft.
Beckett dug his own hole with back-to-back walks to start the inning. Up stepped Billy Butler and out went a three-run homer, Butler's third in as many games.
One out later, Jeff Francoeur doubled on a ball that hit off Drew Sutton's glove in left. Sutton may have lost the ball in the glare. His inexperience out there showed a bit.
Mike Moustakas followed with a double of his own to score the fourth run and one more hit came before Beckett got the last two outs.
There was action in the Boston bullpen during the inning. Everyone is sitting now.
End 3rd, Red Sox 2-0: The moment Jacoby Ellsbury's two-run hit fell in in right field, a colleague in the press box said "Game over."
There's six innings to go, but it almost feels like it. Josh Beckett usually dominates with almost no run support. He gets a little something with which to work here after Ellsbury continues his torrid pace.
Following a leadoff single by Jason Varitek and a double by Yamaico Navarro, Ellsbury ripped a hit to score them both. He later went to third on Adrian Gonzalez's second hit of the game, but Luke Hochevar saved himself by striking out Kevin Youkilis and David Ortiz.
Ellsbury has 23 RBIs in his last 23 games. He is the leadoff hitter.
Mid 3rd, 0-0: Josh Beckett has struck out four of the last eight hitters he has faced.
Beckett has allowed one run in his last 18 innings, and it came on a solo homer. He is just so rarely in trouble, almost always working from the windup.
End 2nd, 0-0: Two innings in the books here at Fenway. Luke Hochevar gets two outs on the ground and one in the air in the second.
You are probably keeping an eye on all the trade rumors out there. Seems as if the Red Sox will be in the mix for a starter — the Clay Buchholz situation merits that sort of attention on their part.
Terry Francona was asked about these days leading up to the deadline and the impact it can have on the clubhouse: "I think guys, when there’s anxiety, is when they read their name. I can see that. It's affecting their livelihood and where they’re going to live. I think it’s nice when it settles down."
Before it does, however, you should make it a point to tune to NESN on Sunday at 1 p.m., where the finest in the land will carry you through a trade deadline special leading up to first pitch of the Red Sox-White Sox affair.
Mid 2nd, 0-0: It's been great getting a chance to see Eric Hosmer hit this series.
The central figure in the rebuilding process in Kansas City is the real deal. You will recall his three-run homer to the opposite field yesterday off John Lackey. At least Lackey will.
Hosmer, in his first encounter with Josh Beckett, lines a sharp single to right, improving to 8-for-16 against Boston pitching in this series.
Beckett erases the hit when Dustin Pedroia starts a nice 4-6-3 double play. Mike Moustakas is then a strikeout victim.
End 1st, 0-0: It may not mean much when it's all said and done, but for now put a star next to Chris Getz's play to rob Jacoby Ellsbury of a hit leading off the bottom of the first.
Getz ranged to his right, fielded and did a jump throw back across his body to nip Ellsbury.
If Jacoby gets on, all bets are off. This team pounces when it gets an opportunity, and Getz's play cut down that opportunity, in a way. Boston has 75 first-inning runs, second only to its seventh-inning output, and so much of that comes from Ellsbury getting on.
With that one out in his pocket, Luke Hochevar is able to work around a two-out single by Adrian Gonzalez.
Mid 1st, 0-0: Alex Gordon gave Josh Beckett a little bit of a fight right off the bat, working the count to 3-2 and then driving a ball to the deepest part of right field.
Gordon got under it just a bit, however, and it is tracked down rather easily by Josh Reddick.
That's the first of three straight outs to begin this one for Beckett.
Mitch Maier, who entered 4-for-9 off Beckett, is the first strikeout victim.
1:36 p.m.: Josh Beckett has thrown his first pitch to Alex Gordon on a delightful day at Fenway Park. Keep it here for all the in-game updates.
12:35 p.m.: Josh Beckett has just sliced through the Royals in his career. His 2.26 ERA against them is lower than his mark against any other American League team.
And the righty has been even better at home against KC, going 2-0 with a 1.44 ERA in three starts. He is 6-0 overall.
Amazingly, Beckett has not allowed a home run in any of his eight starts against the Royals, spanning 55 2/3 innings.
Kansas City ranks 11th in the American League in homers, so that run could continue. They can score some runs, however, ranking sixth in that category and third in team average.
Here is the lineup Beckett will face:
Alex Gordon, LF
Mitch Maier, CF
Billy Butler, DH
Eric Hosmer, 1B
Jeff Francoeur, RF
Mike Moustakas, 3B
Matt Treanor, C
Chris Getz, 2B
Alcides Escobar, SS
After Beckett gets past Gordon and Maier, who are a combined 6-for-16 against him, he faces a crew that is a collective 4-for-35.
11:45 a.m.: We just heard from J.D. Drew, Carl Crawford and Terry Francona. The short version is as follows, but there will be more on the site in a bit:
- Drew had a shot in his left shoulder to relieve some pain. Has about a week before it fully kicks in and then can see about swinging a bat. He expects to be back this year, just needs to balance the strength, similar to the process that Jed Lowrie is going through.
- Crawford suffered a strained right elbow throwing long toss while on the DL. He has also received a shot and expects to be just fine, it just needs another day to do its thing. Crawford should be back in the lineup Friday.
- Francona said that Clay Buchholz has yet to set a date to see a specialist. Reports surfaced yesterday that the team is concerned there is something structural in there. When asked about that, Francona said: "It's not been the simplest muscle strain."
More in a bit as we get set for the Josh Beckett-Luke Hochevar matchup.
10:32 a.m.: Terry Francona said that Wednesday was a good night to give Carl Crawford a break. He had played all out since coming off the DL, was coming off a difficult game the night before and a lefty was on the mound.
So why is Crawford out of the lineup again Thursday, when none of those apply? We will certainly find out for you.
For now, here is the lineup against righty Luke Hochevar.
Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Kevin Youkilis 3B
David Ortiz, DH
Josh Reddick, RF
Drew Sutton, LF
Jason Varitek, C
Yamaico Navarro, SS
8 a.m.:
The Red Sox have the right man on the mound as they look to win their seventh series in a row Wednesday afternoon at Fenway Park.
Josh Beckett takes the hill for the Sox, who have taken two of the first three games of their series with the Kansas City Royals. A David Ortiz grand slam highlighted the club's 12-5 win Tuesday night.
Beckett is 3-0 with a 1.61 ERA over his last four starts and has thoroughly dominated the Royals in his career. He is 6-0 with a 2.26 mark versus KC.
Luke Hochevar will be on the mound for the visitors. He has a 7.94 ERA in four starts against Boston, but won his last start in Fenway.
First pitch is 1:35 p.m. Boston is 24-8 in day games.
