Streaking Royals power past Red Sox
BOSTON — Eric Hosmer and Alex Gordon homered, and Ian Kennedy allowed one run through five innings as the Kansas City Royals continued their month-long hot streak with a 6-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox Friday night.
Kansas City has won 11 of its last 12 games and is 18-6 in August.
Kennedy (9-9) had a chance to set a club record by allowing one or fewer runs in six straight outings of at least six innings. But he left with a runner on after 5 1/3 innings and wound up charged for two earned runs in the game. He finished with nine strikeouts. Kelvin Herrera earned his 10th save.
Lorenzo Cain added a solo homer in the eighth inning.
Steven Wright (13-6) took the loss in his first game back off the disabled list with a right shoulder strain, giving up five runs and seven hits.
Wright lost despite going at least six innings for the 10th time in 15 starts. Before Friday he had not allowed more than one home run in any of his previous 26 starts, which was the fourth-longest active streak in the majors.
It also had been the longest streak by a Red Sox pitcher since Pedro Martinez did it over 44 starts.
Mookie Betts had five hits and two RBIs for the Red Sox.
The Royals jumped on Wright at the outset, taking a 5-0 lead in the first inning on a three-run shot by Hosmer, followed quickly by a tworun blast by Gordon.
Boston had three hits and got one run back in its half of the first. It had a chance to add more after loading the bases with one out, but the potential rally stalled when Sandy Leon and Jackie Bradley, Jr. both struck out.
TRAINER’S ROOM Royals: RHP Wade Davis (right flexor strain) is expected to throw for Triple-A Omaha on Saturday, and then possibly again on Monday. Manager Ned Yost said he doesn’t anticipate him returning before Sept. 1. Red Sox: Rookie LF Andrew Benintendi went through another series of tests Friday that reaffirmed the original diagnosis of no structural damage to his sprained left knee. He was hurt during Boston’s loss to the Rays on Wednesday when he tried to avoid a tag while running toward second base. Manager John Farrell said he is optimistic about an injury that “could have been much, much worse.”
UP NEXT Royals: LHP Danny Duffy (11-1, 2.66 ERA) will make his 20th start of the season and 100th of his career on Saturday. He earned his 10th straight win in Kansas City’s 2-1 win over Minnesota on Sunday, holding the Twins to one run and eight hits. Red Sox: LHP David Price (12-8, 4.00) leads the majors with nine starts of at least eight innings this season. His 2.01 career ERA against the Royals is the third-lowest among active pitchers.