Boston Red Sox vs Kansas City Royals Box Score on Jul 08, 2018

Rick Porcello struck out nine over seven innings of three-run ball, Xander Bogaerts, Mitch Moreland and Eduardo Nunez each had two RBIs, and the visiting Boston Red Sox capped a three-game sweep of the Kansas City Royals with a 7-4 win Sunday.

Steve Pearce added an RBI for the Red Sox, who have won six consecutive games. Porcello (11-3) allowed nine hits and walked one as Boston maintained its two-game lead over the New York Yankees atop the AL East.

Jorge Bonifacio had two RBIs, and Adalberto Mondesi and Whit Merrifield (5-for-5) each drove in another for Kansas City, which matched its longest losing streak this year at nine games. It's the third time the Royals have lost nine in a row this season.

Royals right-hander Heath Fillmyer (0-1) allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits and three walks over 4 1/3 innings in his first major league start. Fillmyer made a surprise spot start in place of Jakob Junis, who landed on the disabled list due to lower back inflammation.

Red Sox slugger J.D. Martinez did not play after fouling pitches off his left calf and right foot Saturday in Boston's 15-4 win. Kansas City gave shortstop Alcides Escobar a day off Sunday, ending his major-league-leading active streak of 421 consecutive games played.

Pearce's sacrifice fly in the third inning put Boston on the board. Kansas City answered with two runs in the bottom of the frame on Bonifacio's two-run double. Nunez tied the game with an RBI single in the fourth.

Mondesi restored the Royals' lead at 3-2 with his fourth-inning RBI single. Moreland worked a bases-loaded walk to tie it in the fifth, and Boston went ahead for good at 4-3 on Bogaerts' sacrifice fly later in the inning.

Moreland added an RBI single in the seventh before Bogaerts hit an RBI double and Nunez had RBI single. Merrifield's RBI single with one out in the ninth forced the Red Sox to turn to closer Craig Kimbrel, who recorded the final two outs for his 27th save.

Red Sox lefty Eduardo Rodriguez (10-3, 3.84 ERA) starts Monday's opener of a three-game series against the visiting Texas Rangers. Royals southpaw Danny Duffy (4-8, 5.19) pitches Monday to start a three-game set with the Twins in Minnesota.

--Field Level Media