Kansas City Royals vs Boston Red Sox Box Score on Jul 29, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Jul 30, 2017

BOSTON -- Sandy Leon scored the winning run ahead of Eric Hosmer's throw in the 10th inning, giving the Boston Red Sox a wild 9-8 victory over Kansas City that ended the Royals' nine-game winning streak Saturday night.

With runners at second and third and one out, Eduardo Nunez, who had already homered twice and singled in his second game with his new team, hit a grounder into the drawn-in infield. Shortstop Alcides Escobar gloved the ball with a dive and threw Nunez out at first, but Leon took off down the line from third and beat the tag of Sal Butera after the throw came in from first baseman Hosmer, who pulled the same thing on the New York Mets in the 2015 World Series.

The win, which allowed the Red Sox to remain a half-game behind the New York Yankees in the American League East, was Boston's second in the last seven games and raised the Red Sox's record to 7-9 since the All-Star break.

Leon, who entered the game in the ninth inning after starting catcher Christian Vazquez had a single, double and triple and two RBIs, led off the winning inning with a long double off Mike Minor (5-3). Rookie Rafael Devers (two hits) struck out. Mookie Betts, who tied the score with an eighth-inning sacrifice fly, was walked intentionally and, after a wild pitch, Nunez picked up his third RBI of the four-hour, 45-minute game that ended just before midnight.

Matt Barnes (6-2) worked a one-hit 10th for the win.

The Royals scored four runs in the sixth to take an 8-6 lead and Jackie Bradley Jr.'s sacrifice fly made it 8-7 in the seventh.

Lorenzo Cain hit a three-run homer and Whit Merrifield went 4-for-6 (his first four-hit game) for the Royals.

Boston starter Eduardo Rodriguez threw 107 pitches in four innings, leaving down 4-2.

The Red Sox scored single runs in the second and third innings to grab the lead, with Vazquez tripling in a run in the second and Nunez homering in the third.

Back came the Royals in the fourth. Merrifield's third hit of the night made it 2-1 before Cain tucked one just inside the Pesky Pole for three runs.

The lead didn't last long as Vazquez doubled home a run (center fielder Cain and right fielder Jorge Bonifacio couldn't get together on the catchable ball) and Devers tied it with a single -- both hits coming with two outs.

Nunez then led off the fifth with a homer that KO'd Kansas City starter Trevor Cahill. Scott Alexander relieved and gave up two hits before Mike Moustakas booted Mitch Moreland's grounder for another run.

Coming in, the Royals had out-homered their opposition 20-2 during their winning streak.

NOTES: LHP David Price, on the disabled list with a recurrence of his left elbow injury (he said the injury isn't as bad as last time), spoke to the media about Dennis Eckersley for the first time since he lambasted the Hall of Famer and club broadcaster on a team flight. He didn't back off, saying, "Fans hear what (broadcasters) say, they're going to believe what they read and what they hear on TV, that's not us. If Eck was around, he'd know who we are. He's never in the clubhouse." He said he will "talk it out" with Eckersley, who is in Cooperstown this weekend. Price did admit "I could have handled it a different way." ... RHP Al Alburquerque, who had been designated for assignment by the Royals, was placed on unconditional release waivers. ... Boston shipped DFAd LHP Luis Ysla to the Dodgers for cash considerations. ... Red Sox 2B Dustin Pedroia rested a sore knee. ... RHP Jason Hammel, winless in his last six starts since beating Boston on June 19, faces LH Drew Pomeranz on Sunday, when the Red Sox honor their 2007 champions.