Royals Earn The Split At Fenway, Say What?

This four-game series that just wrapped up this afternoon with the Kansas City Royals at Fenway Park boggles the mind.

Not only did the Royals (44-61) earn a split with a 4-3 win but they also beat Josh Beckett (9-4) in the finale.

So if you're scoring at home, the Red Sox (64-39) lost the two games started by Jon Lester and Beckett while Andrew Miller and John Lackey started games that Boston eventually won (Miller got a no-decision, Lackey got his fourth straight win). Weird.

Luke Hochevar (7-8) outdueled Beckett which isn't something you can say pretty much ever. The former first-round pick went seven solid innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits with a walk and six strikeouts.

Beckett wasn't bad by any means and with Boston's offense, they'll almost always win a game at home where the opposition scores four runs (especially when it's a team like the Royals). He also went seven innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits with three walks and eight strikeouts.

In an equally shocking development, the Red Sox were held to less than ten hits (eight). Jacoby Ellsbury gave Boston its only lead of the game as he hit a two-run single in the third scoring Yamaico Navarro and Jason Varitek.

Billy Butler put Kansas City ahead for good with a three-run bomb in the fourth. Rookie Mike Moustakas added an RBI double which turned out to be key.

Dustin Pedroia built up the drama and extended his hit streak to 25 games with a solo homer to lead off the eighth. His 15th homer of the season gave him the longest hit streak ever for a Red Sox second baseman.

Carl Crawford, sat for the second game in a row, but he nearly provided his fourth walk-off hit of his so far underachieving season. He hit a deep fly ball to the warning track in right with a runner aboard in the ninth but Jeff Francoeur managed to basket catch it.

Royals closer Joakim Soria recorded the final three outs for his 19th save of the season.

The Red Sox hit the road for a short trip-three games in Chicago. Tomorrow night, Gavin Floyd opposes Tim Wakefield. The most interesting aspect of the weekend series is that Boston will experience the trade deadline (Sunday at 4pm) away from Fenway which always makes for an awkward day.

With Carlos Beltran going to the Giants and Hunter Pence likely staying in the National League, bank on Boston picking up a fifth starter for its shaky rotation (who knows when Buchholz will return). Erik Bedard and Hiroki Kuroda appear to be the most likely options.

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Royals Beat Red Sox in 14 Innings While Most of New England Sleeps

I can't lie and say I was riveted by every pitch of last night's 14 inning contest between the Boston Red Sox and Kansas City Royals at Fenway Park.

For one thing, the game had a rain delay that lasted 2:21 meaning that the first pitch didn't happen until 9:30 p.m. Also, unlike the instant classic 16 inning game against the Rays on Sunday Night Baseball a few weeks ago, this one had little appeal outside of seeing how Jon Lester would do in his first start back from the DL.

So yes, I was one of the poor schmoes that was still tuned in when the Royals (43-59) wrapped up a 3-1 win over the Red Sox (62-38) right before 2 a.m. but it won't be some life-changing event I'll tell anybody about. Nope, it was just something to do before I went to bed late as usual.

All things considered, Lester was fine in his return. He went 5.1 innings, allowing one earned run on seven hits with two walks and six strikeouts. Red Sox manager Terry Francona wanted to limit him to 80 pitches but Lester's night was over after 89, no big deal.

Kyle Davies had a great performance (by his poor standards), going 6.1 innings, allowing one earned run on five hits with a walk and six strikeouts.

J.D. Drew was supposed to go on the DL last night (with Lester getting activated) with some fake shoulder injury but for some reason that was delayed for a day while rookie Kyle Weiland went back to Pawtucket. I mention this only because Josh Reddick (3 hits, 2 doubles, 1 awesome diving catch) continues to do everything in his power to lock the job down for 2011.

Reddick gave Boston a 1-0 lead with an RBI double in the second which scored Carl Crawford (0 for 6 with 4 strikeouts).

Billy Butler tied it up at one for Kansas City with his RBI double in the sixth which scored ex-Yankee Melky Cabrera (4 hits).

Despite 13 hits, the Red Sox looked like the team in the early part of 2011 that couldn't come through with the clutch hit (11 left on base). Marco Scutaro was the goat as he came up with Reddick at third with one out in the 12th but a bungled sign led to him not bunting and Reddick getting caught in a rundown. If that wasn't enough, Scutaro promptly singled but tried to stretch it into a double and got thrown out at second by a few feet. Yeesh, rough inning.

Matt Albers (1.2 innings), Daniel Bard (1 inning), Jonathan Papelbon (1 inning), Franklin Morales (1.2 innings) and Dan Wheeler (1.1 innings) all had scoreless outings but once Randy Williams-the last man in the bullpen and on the roster-was summoned, you know it was probably over.

Williams went two innings but Mike Aviles plated Eric Hosmer (3 hits) with a sacrifice in the 14th and Alex Escobar knocked in Jeff Francoeur with a sacrifice fly. Somehow the Royals still had closer Joakim Soria available and he came on to strikeout the side for his 18th save of the season.

Worcester native Tim Collins threw a 1-2-3 seventh on 10 pitches for the Royals. Great improbable story (look it up) about a local guy that has made it.

Rookie Danny Duffy faces Andrew Miller tonight as the Red Sox look to bounce back from an unexpected loss to one of MLB's worst teams. Making matters worse, the Yankees beat the A's last night meaning they're now two games back in the AL East.

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We Could Have Used Manny Last Night

Baseball is such a grind that there's no point in getting wrapped up in individual games (unless it's October). Things change daily and it takes weeks, sometimes even months to get a real read on your team.

I said last week that the Manny Ramirez trade was a good thing. It was lopsided (not in the Sox' favor) but it had come to that point. Still, you couldn't help but wonder last night while the Sox left 21 guys on base, what Manny would have done in any of those spots?

We'll never know. The Kansas City Royals tried to give it away in the ninth but held on to beat Boston, 4-3 last night at Kaufman Stadium.

David Ortiz is already starting to gripe about the lack of good pitches he's seeing (without Manny hitting behind him). The Sox (64-49) jumped out to a 2-0 lead on Gil Meche and the Royals (53-60) in the first but after that they continually shot themselves in the foot.

With Mike Lowell out with a hip injury and Jacoby Ellsbury still lost at the plate, J.D. Drew led off. Drew walked to start the game then moved to third on Dustin Pedroia's (3 hits, run, walk) double. Ortiz's ground out scored Drew and Kevin Youkilis's double knocked in Pedroia.

Meche looked to be on the ropes early, not fooling any of the Sox hitters but he settled down after that. Meche (10-9) went six innings, allowing two runs on four hits with five walks and nine strikeouts.

Staked to a 2-0 lead right out of the gate, Clay Buchholz (2-7) couldn't make it last past the second inning. Alex Gordon (2 walks) hit a solo homer in the second and the Royals scored three times in the third.

Mark Teahan had an RBI single, Billy Butler added a sacrifice fly and Buchholz hit John Buck with the bases loaded.

I never thought I'd say this in 2008 but Bartolo Colon can't come back soon enough to the Sox rotation. Buchholz is talented, no question, but it just doesn't seem like he'll put it together this season. Maybe next year or the season after that, he'll be like Jon Lester this season (ie. he'll completely improve). Who knows?

Buchholz gave up four runs in six innings, allowing seven hits, three walks and four strikeouts.

Boston made some noise in the ninth as they loaded the bases with two outs against Royals closer Joakim Soria. With runners at first and third, the Royals elected to walk Youk (something that wouldn't have happened say last week). Jason Bay hit a weak grounder to third but third baseman Gordon and shortstop Tony Pena Jr. collided while Coco Crisp scored.

Sean Casey had a rare start and he was up next. He hit a decent shot to right but Teahhan snared it for the final out. Soria had to throw 31 pitches, giving up three hits, one walk and a strikeout but in the end he recorded his 32nd save.

Josh Beckett faces Brian Bannister tonight and nothing would be better than a vintage Beckett start.