It's Safe To Say The Red Sox Did Not Enjoy Their Time in Kansas City

The Pittsburgh Pirates are rightfully earning most of the praise and attention across MLB this season as the team that has totally turned it around after years of losing. However in the American League, Kansas City is starting to become a great story as well. With the Royals' (61-54 overall, 32-26 home) 5-4 win this afternoon over the Red Sox (71-49 overall, 32-28 home) at Kauffman Stadium, they took this weekend's series (3-1) and the season series (5-2).

The good news for Boston is that Tampa Bay has finally slumped a bit, losing their last five games including a sweep from the Dodgers this weekend. Strictly because of that, the Red Sox remain three games up on them for first place in the AL East.

James Shields (7-8) is still a good pitcher and he is certainly familiar with some of the Red Sox hitters from his time with the Rays. Shields went seven innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on seven hits with five strikeouts and three walks. John Lackey (7-10) did not have his best stuff by any means but he gutted it out for seven innings: four earned runs on seven hits with five strikeouts and two walks.

Boston got on the board first as Shane Victorino (double, stolen base) came around on Salvador Perez's throwing error in the first inning. Alex Gordon (3 hits) tied it with an RBI single in the home half of the first. Then Jarrod Dyson and David Lough (who?) added RBI singles in the second and Gordon smacked his 13th homer of the season-a solo shot in the third for a 4-1 Royals lead.

For whatever reason, it felt like the Red Sox were down by way more than three runs which is why Ryan Lavarnway's (2 hits) two-run single in the sixth woke everybody up. Kansas City's bullpen was equal to the task though with a scoreless eighth by Tim Collins and Aaron Crow while All-Star closer Greg Holland had a 1-2-3 ninth with two strikeouts for his 32nd save of the season (2nd of the series).

Red hot Stephen Drew (seriously) was 2 for 4 with a double and run for Boston in the loss. This has been a bumpy road trip so far for the Red Sox (3-4) but they have a chance to go home on a positive note after three games in Toronto (54-63, 5th in AL East) starting on Tuesday (7:07, NESN) with Ryan Dempster (6-8) vs. rookie Todd Redmond (1-1). The other two pitching matchups favor Boston at the Rogers Centre: Jon Lester (10-7) vs. Josh Johnson (2-8) on Wednesday (7:07, NESN) and Jake Peavy (9-4) takes on Mark Buehrle (8-7) on Thursday (7:07, NESN).

They haven't been off since July 25 (rainout vs. Rays) so tomorrow will give Boston a chance to relax for the first time in a while.

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Red Sox Blow 3 Different Leads, Lose 9-6 To Royals

After witnessing the very good side of Jake Peavy last Saturday in his Red Sox debut, tonight we were treated to the mediocre version of the former 2009 NL Cy Young winner that has been kicking around MLB the last few years (except for last year's contract drive). Already in two nights, the Royals (60-53 overall, 31-25 home) have proven that they can win with pitching (5-1 last night) or hitting-the example being tonight's 9-6 win over the Red Sox (70-48 overall, 31-27 away) at Kauffman Stadium.

There is a reason that Kansas City is 4-1 against Boston this season including four straight victories, they are a good ballclub. What they lack in great pitching, they seem to make up for in clutch hitting and timely plays. In a way they are a poor man's version of the Orioles from last season. With this win, the Royals pulled within 4.5 games of the Wild Card and only a half game behind the Indians.

Peavy was never right in this contest, he went only 5+ innings, allowing six earned runs on 10 hits with one walk and no strikeouts. Royals starter Ervin Santana was actually worse since he lasted 3.2 innings and also gave up six earned runs. Boston's bullpen completely melted down in the sixth inning as Peavy, Drizzy Drake Britton and Pedro "Not Martinez" Beato combined to allow six runs.

Boston had been up 6-3 after Mike Napoli's (2 hits, walk, run) three-run double in the fourth. Kansas City responded with an RBI single by Alcides Escobar (2 hits, 2 runs), a sacrifice fly by David Lough, two-run single by Eric Hosmer (3 hits, run), RBI double by Billy Butler (3 hits, run) and RBI single by Justin Maxwell.

Fireballer Kelvin Herrera pitched a scoreless seventh, Worcester's Tim Collins walked the first two batters he faced in the eighth but managed to get out of the frame unscathed and closer Greg Holland recorded his 31st save with a 1-2-3 ninth on 11 pitches (2 strikeouts).

In the early going, both teams traded runs. Daniel Nava opened the scoring with an RBI single in the first and the Red Sox had been 46-9 coming into tonight when they scored first. Maxwell homered in the second to tie it and Lough's RBI single put Kansas City up 2-1. David Ortiz (2 hits, 2 runs) tied it in the third with a solo homer to right, his 22nd of the season. Jarrod Saltalamacchia (2 hits) put Boston back in front with an RBI double that made it 3-2. Alex Gordon tied it with a solo homer in the home half of the third.

More than anything tomorrow night (7:10, NESN) besides a win (duh!), the Red Sox desperately need a good start from Felix Doubront (8-5) against Jeremy Guthrie (12-7). Boston caught a huge break after this humbling loss as the Rays choked away a 6-0 lead and 6-3 advantage in the ninth for a 7-6 loss to the Dodgers. Tampa Bay has lost three in a row so they are stuck two games behind the Red Sox for first place in the AL East. Baltimore won its third game in a row(5-2 over the Giants in 10 innings), trimming their deficit to 4.5 games back of Boston.

UPDATE 8/10: Brandon Snyder went on the DL with a fake elbow injury and Will Middlebrooks makes his triumphant (we hope) return from Pawtucket. Middlebrooks is in the lineup tonight, batting ninth and playing third base. Also, Franklin Morales was recalled with Pedro Beato being sent down to Pawtucket.

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Everyone Knows That A 6-Run Lead Is The Most Dangerous In MLB, Especially In The 7th Inning

I don't know what it is but the Red Sox really despise extra innings in 2012. They fell to 2-8 overall and 0-6 at home when it goes past nine innings with a 10-9 loss to the Royals tonight at Fenway Park in 12 innings.

Tony Abreu's RBI single off Junichi Tazawa (0-1) in the 12th was the game-winning hit. Francisley Bueno (1-0) got five outs for the win and Greg Holland had a 1-2-3 12th for his seventh save of the season.

Making this one extra rough was the fact that Boston (60-67, 30-38 home) led 9-3 in the seventh inning yet gave it all back to Kansas City (56-69, 30-36 away) in that frame. Did I mention that the Red Sox had 20 hits? Haha it was the first time since 1960 that they had at least nine runs and 20 or more hits but lost. That takes some serious skill.

Eight Red Sox had multiple hits, only pinch hitters Che-Hsuan Lin and Jose Iglesias failed to get a hit. Mauro Gomez led Boston, going 4 for 6 with his first MLB home run and three RBIs. Cody Ross was 3 for 5 with a run and RBI but he left after tweaking his knee trying to make a diving catch. Word is that him and David Ortiz (who sat out tonight) could be going on the DL tomorrow.

Scott Podsednik, Jacoby Ellsbury (2 runs, double, stolen base), Jarrod Saltalamacchia (run, RBI), Ryan Lavarnway (run, walk), Mike Aviles (3 RBIs) and Pedro Ciriaco (run, walk) all had two hits for Boston.

The Royals won because they were an absurd 8 for 13 with runners in scoring position. The Red Sox were a pedestrian (by comparison) 5 for 11 and they left 10 on base.

Kansas City has no power (one of the million reasons they always blow) but they still got it done this evening. Billy Butler was 3 for 6 with two RBIs, a double and run and Alex Gordon was 2 for 4 with four RBIs, two runs, a double and walk. Alcides Escobar (2 runs, walk), Eric Hosmer (run, double, walk) and Tony Abreu (RBI) each produced two hits for the Royals.

Aaron Cook allowed three runs in the first inning (on four straight hits to begin the game) but he settled down and went six innings. He allowed those three earned runs on seven hits with no strikeouts and one walk.

Former Orioles bum Jeremy Guthrie was lit up for seven runs (6 earned) on seven hits in 2.2 innings. Unfortunately, Boston's bullpen falling apart let him off the hook.

Gordon had a two-run double (he leads the AL in doubles with 41) and Butler added an RBI single for an extremely early 3-0 Royals advantage. Gomez hit a solo homer in the second inning then former Royals great Mike Aviles put Boston ahead with a three-run blast (his 13th of the season) in the second.

A run scored on Gomez's infield single in the third and Guthrie's error opened the door for a gift run on top of that. Salty had a sacrifice fly in the third then Ross and Gomez had RBI singles in the fourth. At 9-3, who knew that the Red Sox would A) blow the lead and B) not score in the next eight innings. Baseball is a funny game as every 100-year-old writer will wax poetic and tell you.

Andrew Miller (4 earned runs) and Mark Melancon (2 earned runs) teamed up to shit the bed in the seventh when Boston choked just like they did two nights earlier against the Angels. Haha remember that? Seems like ages ago. Gordon started it with a two-run single, Butler had an RBI double, Salvador Perez had an RBI single then Ross totally misplayed Mike Moustakas' fly ball into a two-run triple (sweet ruling there Fenway scorekeeper). That must have been when he got hurt as well, adding insult to injury as they say.

Felix Doubront (10-6) makes his first start since August 9 tomorrow afternoon (1:35 p.m., NESN), it should be memorable too since he faces Big Willie Style himself Will Smith (4-5). I think it is sad that the actor/rapper has been forced to take on a third job as an anonymous pitcher for Kansas City but maybe he's studying for a new role? I promise to bring some quality Will Smith jokes tomorrow if I get caught in the trap of wasting time watching that terrible matchup.

UPDATE 8/26: Lin was sent down, James Loney was activated and reliever Pedro Beato (obtained in the Kelly Shoppach trade with the Mets) was called up.

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