The Boston Red Sox dropped their series opener against the Kansas City Royals on Thursday, falling 7-3 behind a troubling seventh inning that saw the Royals score four runs.
That seventh inning was home to a controversial home-run call, where Royals catcher Salvador Perez roped a ball down into the left field corner and off the top of the wall below the foul pole. The ball ricocheted back onto the field, but the umpires decided to waive Perez in and score the extra run. Following a crew chief review, the call was upheld to make the score 7-3.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora would air his grievances and eventually be ejected from the game. While the extra run wasn't a difference maker, Cora remained confused by the whole ordeal following the game.
"Sometimes you see stuff in the ballpark, and they go to New York and they have a different view or different camera or whatever, but we all thought it was going to be overturned," Cora said, as seen on NESN's postgame coverage. "Thought they were going to place runners, (Salvador Perez) was going to stay at second, but in our eyes, the replay, we saw that the ball was in the ballpark and live in play."
Perhaps the most confusing part of the whole ordeal was Cora's ejection, as Boston's manager stayed fairly calm throughout his interaction with home-plate umpire Bill Welke.
"I don't want to get into that," Cora said. "... I was very calm, you know? Asked him what happened and he threw me out. It happens I guess."
Here are more notes from Thursday's Red Sox-Royals game:
-- Eric Hosmer made his Red Sox debut on Thursday, returning to Kansas City for the first time since signing his contract with the San Diego Padres in 2017. Boston's new first basemen went 0-for-3 with a walk in his debut, but enjoyed his first night with the Red Sox.
"Fun group, good group. Group that wants to win," Hosmer said, as seen on NESN's postgame coverage. "Seems like there's going to be some fun times here."
-- Matt Barnes returned to the Red Sox following a two-month long absence. He tossed a perfect sixth inning, throwing seven of his nine pitches for strikes.
-- Away from Kansas City, the Red Sox had a member of their staff pitch brilliantly. Michael Wacha started a combined no-hitter for Triple-A Worcester on Thursday.
-- The Red Sox return to action Friday night in Kansas City against the Royals. First pitch is set for 8:10 p.m. ET following an hour of pregame coverage, and you can watch it with NESN 360.
