It got close at the end, but the Red Sox’s drought finally is over.
Boston held a five-run lead heading into the eighth inning Monday night, but Matt Barnes allowed the Royals to bring the game within two to make things interesting.
In the end, Rick Porcello got enough run support with help from a pair of home runs and pitched a strong game against Kansas City, giving up just one earned run over six innings of work in the Red Sox’s 7-5 victory at Fenway Park.
The right-hander surrendered four hits and struck out five.
Rafael Devers (2-for-4) continued to do damage at the plate for the Sox while Andrew Benintendi and Sam Travis contributed a combined four RBIs in the victory.
With the win, the Red Sox climbed to 60-55 while the Royals dropped to 40-74.
Here’s how it all went down:
GAME IN A WORD
Close.
Almost too close for comfort.
ON THE BUMP
— Porcello cruised through the first five innings and didn’t allow a run, despite allowing five baserunners.
The scoreless streak ended in the sixth when Porcello served up a 2-1 slider to Cheslor Cuthbert who took the right-hander deep to put the Royals on the board and cut Boston’s lead to 4-1.
Porcello finished up the sixth without further damage, ending his night after six innings and 99 pitches.
— Nathan Eovaldi surrendered a one-out, solo home run to Meibrys Viloria in the seventh to make it 4-2.
The righty got the next out but put brought the tying run to the plate after issuing a walk to Nicky Lopez. The Royals couldn’t capitalize, however, and Boston finished the inning with a two-run lead.
— Barnes immediately put two on after issuing a walk and Sandy Leon being called for catcher interference. Bubba Starling then cleared the bases with a three-run round-tripper to make it a whole new ballgame and bring the Royals’ deficit to 7-5.
— Brandon Workman closed out the game in the ninth with a pair of strikeouts.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— A three-run third helped give Boston a 3-0 lead.
Mookie Betts led off the inning with a walk and moved to third on a Devers single. Xander Bogaerts drove Betts in for the 1-0 lead thanks to an error by Lopez.
Travis upped Boston’s lead with a two-run blast to center to make it 3-0.
— Devers hit his 23rd home run of the season to give Boston a 4-0 edge in the fifth.
— The Red Sox had themselves another three-run inning in the seventh to build a five-run lead.
Leon scored on a wild pitch before Benintendi drove in Bogaerts and Betts with a deep double to make it 7-2.
— Devers, Benintendi and Michael Chavis all had two hits apiece, while Bogaerts, Travis, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Leon had one.
TWEET OF THE GAME
Not bad.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox continue their set with Kansas City with Game 2 on Tuesday night. Andrew Cashner is expected to get the ball for Boston, with first pitch from Fenway Park set for 7:10 p.m. ET.
