Red Sox Wrap: Royals Take Series With 7-3 Win On Father’s Day

The Boston Red Sox couldn’t get it done on Father’s Day as the Kansas City Royals took the three-game series with a 7-3 win Sunday.

Nathan Eovaldi didn’t have his best outing, recording his fourth loss of the season on the mound. Boston got out to an early two-run lead in the second thanks to a home run from Kiké Hernández, but Kansas City went on to score seven unanswered runs before a Rafael Devers homer in the eighth.

Both Christian Arroyo and Kevin Plawecki left the game early with injuries.

With the loss, the Red Sox fall to 43-29 on the season.

Here’s how it all went down.

GAME IN A WORD
Strange.

Injuries and defensive mistakes were not in Boston’s favor in the loss.

Red Sox Rule Out Kevin Plawecki, Christian Arroyo For Rest Of Game Vs. Royals

Jun 20, 2021

ON THE BUMP
— Eovaldi’s last start seemed to get the Red Sox rotation back on track after a rough week or so, but his outing didn’t look great on paper Sunday.

He was done after four innings, giving up four runs (three earned) off seven hits and a walk. Eovaldi struck out four, but his pitch count was inflated thanks to 20 balls being fouled off, and poor defense had a hand in every Royals run scored.

— Darwinzon Hernandez went the next 1 1/3 innings and allowed one run on two hits and a walk with a strikeout.

— Newly acquired reliever Yacksel Rios recorded two outs in the sixth. However, Kansas City managed four hits and a walk to score two additional runs. He struck out one batter bridging Boston to the seventh.

— Matt Andriese kept the Royals scoreless in the eighth but gave up two hits.

IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— A two-run homer from Hernández in the top of the second scored Hunter Renfroe, who reached on a walk, and put Boston up 2-0 early.

— Nothing came of a J.D. Martinez triple to deep right in the top of the third and he was stranded after the Royals had cut their lead in half.

— After Kansas City put up seven unanswered runs, Rafael Devers led the eighth inning off with a 447-foot solo shot to center.

— The Red Sox had the tying run at the plate with bases loaded and two outs in the eighth, but a double play ruined the opportunity.

— Martinez, Bobby Dalbec and Hernandez all had multi-hit days for Boston. Only Marwin Gonzalez, Vazquez and Kevin Plawecki failed to record a hit, but neither of the three played the entire game.

TWEET OF THE GAME
Silver linings courtesy of Dalbec…

UP NEXT
Boston gets a much needed off day Monday before starting a three-game series in Tampa Bay against the Rays, where the American League East’s top two teams will battle it out.