The Boston Red Sox swept the Kansas City Royals and extended their win streak to six games with a 7-4 victory Sunday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium.
The win concludes a nine-game road trip — Boston’s last before the All-Star break — during which the Sox went 7-2.
Boston’s offense kept mashing Sunday. The Red Sox posted 14 hits in the series finale, led by Andrew Benintendi’s four. Sox starter Rick Porcello also provided a quality start for his team-leading 11th win of the year.
The Red Sox improve to a major-league best 62-29 with the victory, while the Royals fall to 25-64.
Here’s how the game unfolded.
GAME IN A WORD
Offense.
Boston’s lineup scored 32 runs over the three-game series in Kansas City.
ON THE BUMP
— Porcello gave up a leadoff single to begin the game, then sat down the next three batters to end the inning. He pitched a 1-2-3 second inning with two strikeouts but ran into trouble in the third inning. After striking out the leadoff batter, Porcello gave up two straight singles, and then a two-run double to Jorge Bonifacio that put the Royals up 2-1.
Porcello gave up a leadoff single to Alex Gordon in the fourth inning, and the Royals outfielder eventually reached third base on a groundout and a wild throw. Gordon then scored on an RBI single by Adalberto Mondesi to give KC a 3-2 advantage. Boston’s starter allowed a leadoff double in the fifth but retired the next three batters, including one strikeout to bring his total to six through five innings.
Porcello allowed a single and a double to begin the seventh inning, putting men at second and third with no outs. He got out of the jam beautifully, though, striking out two and getting a fly out to end the frame without surrendering a run. That would be it for Porcello, who gave up three earned runs, nine hits, one walk and struck out nine through seven innings.
— Matt Barnes pitched a quick 1-2-3 eighth inning with two strikeouts.
— Tyler Thornburg began the ninth and gave up a double, a wild pitch and an RBI single that trimmed Boston’s lead to 7-4. He exited with one out in the inning. Craig Kimbrel gave up a hit to the first batter he faced, then struck out the next two to end the game.
IN THE BATTER’S BOX
— Benintendi singled in the first inning, followed by a Steve Pearce walk. But the inning ended without the Red Sox scoring after Mitch Moreland grounded into a double play.
— Back-to-back singles by Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers got the Sox going to begin the second inning, but another double play and then a fly out prevented Boston from scoring.
— The Red Sox struck in the third inning when Pearce hit a sacrifice fly to left field that scored Mookie Betts, who walked earlier in the inning. Benintendi also singled in the third inning for his second hit of the day.
— Bogaerts reached second base on a fielding error in the fourth inning and later scored on an RBI single by Eduardo Nunez to tie the score 2-2.
— The Red Sox loaded the bases with one out in the fifth inning after consecutive singles by Betts, Benintendi (his third hit of the game) and Pearce. Moreland brought home Betts with a walk to tie the score 3-3. Bogaerts gave the Red Sox a 4-3 lead with a sacrifice fly that scored Benintendi. Devers grounded out to end the inning.
— Boston put men on the corners with no outs to begin the seventh inning after a Benintendi double and a single by Pearce. Moreland drove in Benintendi with an RBI single to put the Sox in front 5-3. Bogaerts increased Boston’s lead to 6-3 with an RBI double down the left field line. Nunez drove in another run with an RBI single to put the Red Sox ahead 7-3 before Sandy Leon hit into a double play to end the inning.
— The Red Sox put two men on base in the eighth inning but were unable to increase their lead.
TWEET OF THE GAME
Benintendi swung a hot bat this weekend.
UP NEXT
The Red Sox host the Texas Rangers at Fenway Park for a three-game series beginning Monday night. Eduardo Rodriguez will toe the rubber for Boston in the series opener opposite Mike Minor. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET.
