BOSTON (AP) — Carter Jenson had a two-run double, Salvador Perez added an RBI and the Kansas City Royals beat the Boston Red Sox 3-2 on Friday night.
It was the second straight win for the Royals, who’d lost four of their previous five. Jensen, a rookie catcher, extended his on-base streak to 15 games.
Kansas City’s Seth Lugo (7-8) pitched five innings and allowed two runs off seven hits, striking out seven to earn his first career victory in five starts against Boston. Steven Cruz pitched a scoreless ninth for his seventh save.
Boston has lost three straight after winning five in a row.
Boston’s Sonny Gray (17-5) was pulled after six innings, yielding three runs off six hits with two walks and five strikeouts
The Royals led 3-0 before Red Sox closed the gap to 3-2 in the fifth via a solo homer by Mickey Gasper and Wilyer Abreu RBI double off the Green Monster.
That remained the score in the eighth when Trevor Story got doubled off reliever Nate Pearson, and moved to third after Nick Sogard flied out to right. But Caleb Durbin struck out to end the threat.
Up next
Royals RHP Randy Dobnak (3-3, 2.54 ERA) was set to start opposite LHP Ranger Suarez (6-4, 3.44) on Saturday.