FINAL: Red Sox 6, Kansas City Royals 5 - Yoshida With Another Big Night as Sox Survive Comeback

The Red Sox (61-51) secure the season series against the Kansas City Royals (63-52), with a final score of 6-5.

The bats cooled down for the Sox tonight as they had only eight hits, but they got them when they mattered most. Masataka Yoshida was the star of the show for the second consecutive night, only going 2-5, but driving in three runs with a solo home run in the third, and a two out, two run single in the sixth, which would give the Sox enough run support to win the game. David Hamilton and Ceddanne Rafaela came through in the second inning, hitting an RBI ground rule double and an RBI ground out respectively. Dominic Smith would score a run in the sixth on a wild pitch that went to the backstop. He hesitated at first, seemingly because when he saw the ball hit the home plate umpire, he wasn't sure where it had gone. Once he made his way to home, he executed a swim move to just barely avoid the tag from Seth Lugo. He was originally called out, but Alex Cora challenged the call and it was overturned.

Brayan Bello got the start tonight, pitching four and two thirds, giving up three runs on five hits and striking out six, while also allowing three free passes. After he allowed the tying run to score in the fifth, Brennan Bernardino would come in to get the final out in that inning, and he would end up with the win in just a third of an inning pitched. Zack Kelly would pitch an inning of perfect ball, striking out two. Cam Booser would come out next and pitch a full inning, then would be replaced by Luis Garcia after allowing a single. Garcia would allow two straight doubles, allowing Vinny Pasquantino to score, but would get two straight outs after. Kenley Jansen would then come in for the final out of the eighth, an Adam Frazier fly out. He would stay in for the bottom of the ninth, where he threw a 1-2-3 inning, striking out AL MVP candidate Bobby Witt Jr. to end the game.

My Player of the Game: Masataka Yoshida - Masa came up clutch in this one, being the only Sox hitter to have more than one hit. He accounted for half of the teams runs, and hit his sixth homer of the year.

Tomorrow, the Sox will look to sweep the Royals, with first pitch at 8:10 p.m.. Probable starters are Kutter Crawford (7-8, 3.81 ERA) and Cole Ragans (8-7, 3.36 ERA)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  ________________________________

WHO: Red Sox (60-51) at Kansas City Royals (63-51)
WHEN: 8:10 p.m.
WHERE: Kauffman Stadium
SERIES TO DATE: 3-1
STARTING PITCHERS: RHP Brayan Bello (10-5, 5.13 ERA) vs. RHP Seth Lugo (13-5, 2.57 ERA)
TV/RADIO: NESN, WEEI-FM 93.7

LIVE BOX

LINEUPS

RED SOX

Jarren Duran LF
Wilyer Abreu RF
Masataka Yoshida DH
Rafael Devers 3B
Connor Wong C
Dominic Smith 1B
Nick Sogard 2B
David Hamilton SS
Ceddanne Rafaela CF

SP Brayan Bello

OPPONENT

Michael Massey 2B
Bobby Witt Jr SS
Vinny Pasquantino 1B
Salvador Perez C
MJ Melendez LF
Hunter Renfroe DH
Adam Frazier RF
Maikel Garcia 3B
Kyle Isbel CF

SP Seth Lugo

WHAT'S UP

The Red Sox are 5-2 in their last 7 games, after going 2-7 in their previous 9, following the All-Star break. The Sox are 38-27 (.585) in their last 65 games, beginning 5/19...They own MLB's 3rd-best record in that span. At 60-51 (.541), Boston owns the 5th-best record in the AL and are tied for the 10th best in MLB (also ATL).

Last night, Alex Cora recorded his 500th career managerial victory, becoming the 4th manager to reach 500 wins with the Red Sox. It was Cora’s 921st game as manager of the Red Sox... The only person to reach 500 wins with Boston in that many decisions or fewer is Terry Francona (Source: Elias). At 500-421 (.543), Cora owns the 4th-best winning percentage among the 13 individuals to manage at least 500 games with the Sox.

Boston leads MLB in hits (1,023), doubles (228), and OPS (.775). They rank 2nd in XBH (397), AVG (.264), and SLG (.446), while ranking 3rd in triples (28), and 4th in OBP (.330). Since the All-Star break, Boston leads the Majors in AVG (.309), SLG (.555), OPS (.921), hits (189), total bases (339), and doubles (55).

The Red Sox have homered in 17 of their last 18 games, since 7/13 (32 total HR). Boston is tied for the MLB lead (also COL) with 67 HR over their last 39 games, since 6/17. The Red Sox have recorded 12 individual multi-homer games, tied with NYM for the most in MLB...Tyler O’Neill leads MLB with 5 multi-HR games.

The Sox 18 hits last night were their 3rd-highest total of the season (24 hits on 6/6 at CWS and 21 hits on 4/27 vs. CHC). All 9 BOS starters had a hit last night for their AL leading 7th-time this season (prev: 7/27 vs. NYY)...The last season the Red Sox had 7 or more games in which all 9 starters recorded a hit was 2016 (11 games).

Triston Casas is on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Worcester, making 2 starts at 1st base and 2 as the DH (4-for-13, 2 R, 2 2B, 3 RBI, 2 BB, HBP). Vaughn Grissom has played in 11 rehab games with the WooSox, making 7 starts at 2nd base and 4 as the DH (10-for-41, 3 R, 2B, HR, 7 RBI, 6 BB, 3 SB).