WHO: Red Sox (60-56) vs. Kansas City Royals (41-74)
WHEN: 7:10
WHERE: Fenway Park
SERIES TO DATE 1-1
SEASON SERIES TO DATE: Boston 4-1
STARTING PITCHERS: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (13-5, 4.19) vs. RHP Glenn Sparkman (3-7, 5.58)
TV/RADIO: NESN/WEEI 93.7 FM
9:46 Blown save No. 21 for the Red Sox bullpen as Nathan Eovaldi yields a single, a wild pitch, a groundout and a two-out double to allowing the tying run to score.
9:06 Two-run double by Xander Bogaerts, the team's most consistent player and most dangerous Fenway hitter. He's hit in 19 straight at home and has knocked in 24 runs in his that span.
8:38 J.D. Martinez crushes a hanging slider to left-center with Bogaerts aboard and the Sox have tied it.
8:32 Finally, an actual, honest-to-goodness out on the bases against Hamilton -- a strong throw from Jackie Bradley Jr. cuts him down trying to advance from second to third.
8:30 Xander Bogaerts has improved his internal clock to know when he has to hurry a throw on a grounder, but took a little too much time there with Hamilton running, and for the second time in four innings, a replay on an "out'' call on Hamilton is overturned on video challenge.
8:11 Two-run, bases loaded single from Meibrys Viloria scores two. After two quick outs for Rodriguez, four straight hitters have reached.
8:02 After his two homer performance Tuesday night, the Red Sox are being understandably cautious with Jorge Soler, who is issued a two-out walk on five pitches.
7:45 Billy Hamilton, arguably the fastest player in the big leagues, beats out the back end of a double play (upon video challenge by the Royals), but then, doesn't try to steal with two outs. How much sense does that make?
7:26 Less-than-stellar top of the first for Eduardo Rodriguez, who loads the bases before finally escaping by getting Nicky Lopez to ground out to short. Took 30 pitches, however, so hardly the kind of start Rodriguez wanted.
LINEUPS
RED SOX
Betts RF
Devers 3B
Bogaerts SS
Martinez DH
Benintendi LF
Vazquez C
Moreland 1B
Holt 2B
Bradley CF
ROYALS
Merrifield LF
Arteaga SS
Dozier RF
Soler DH
Cuthbert 3B
Lopez 2B
Villoria C
O'Hearn 1B
Hamilton C
WHAT'S UP: After snapping an eight-game losing streak the previous night, the Red Sox fell again, losing to the Royals, 6-2 Tuesday, giving the Sox nine losses in the last ten games...Over the last 32 games, the Sox are 16-16...In the last 10 days, the Red Sox have gone from being tied for the second wild card spot to being 6.5 games back...One positive for the team of late: in the last six games, the bullpen has a 2.78 ERA and has allowed opposing hitters a .185 batting average...J.D. Martinez has a 15-game on base streak, during which he's hit .397 with five homers and 14 RBI....In his last 16 games, Andrew Benintendi is 28-for-69 (.406 with 18 RBI and 14 extra-base hits...Rafael Devers leads all major leaguers in hits with 147. He's also either first or second in doubles, extra-base hits and hits....Xander Bogaerts has a hit in each of his last 18 home games, and is hitting .462 in that span with 22 RBI and 19 runs scored....In Tuesday's loss, the Red Sox failed to homer in a home game after doing so in 18 straight....In the last nine home games, the Sox are hitting .340 as a team with a .999 OPS and 19 homers and 36 doubles...The Sox are 17-4 in Eduardo Rodriguez's last 21 starts...The Red Sox are 12-1 when Rodriguez goes six or more innings...He leads all of baseball with average of 8.11 runs in support per start....Alex Gordon is 4-for-10 lifetime against Rodriguez...Whit Merrifield is 5-for-9.....Mookie Betts is 3-for-6 in his career against Glenn Sparkman and Andrew Benintendi is 3-for-5.
PRE-GAME NOTES:
- Dustin Pedroia underwent surgery for "left knee joint preservation'' Tuesday, the Red Sox announced. The procedure is meant to give Pedroia some pain relief. It's unknown if this effective ends any intention of making a successful comeback as a player. Pedroia has been limited to nine games in the last two seasons.
- Alex Cora said the team may consider skipping some pitchers later in the month when the schedule presents some additional off-days. He said the team wasn't considering use of the opener, as other teams have done.
- Steven Wright, who visited Dr. James Andrews Wednesday, received a PRP shot in his right elbow.
- Major League Baseball announced that the Red Sox will play the Baltimore Orioles in the annual MLB Little League Classic in Williamsport, Pa next Aug. 23.