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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It's Never A Good Sign When A Scrub Like Bruce Chen Shuts You Down

The Red Sox have made it a habit this season of coming from behind to win games. That has been thrilling for sure but it's not exactly how you want to play every night: finding yourself down by multiple runs and being forced to battle back. Tonight in the series opener at Kaufmann Stadium-home of the multi-colored water fountains-the Royals (59-53 overall, 30-25 home) topped the Red Sox (70-47 overall, 31-26 away) 5-1.

Kansas City only scored in two innings: the first and eighth but that was more than enough to beat Boston when the Red Sox chose to sit red-hot David Ortiz. Perhaps the most telling sign of their struggle at the plate was the fact that Bruce Chen (5-0), one of the only MLB pitchers that I think I could honestly get a hit off of, was dealing like you read about: 7.2 scoreless innings, five hits, two strikeouts and a walk.

This was not vintage Jon Lester (10-7) either, like when he no-hit the Royals back in 2008. Nope, this was the guy that throws way too many pitches (121) and gave up three runs right off the bat. Alex Gordon hit a sacrifice fly and Mike Moustakas (2 hits) drove in two with an RBI single. I'll give him credit for lasting seven innings (3 runs, 1 earned, 4 hits, 4 strikeouts, 2 walks) but last time I checked this isn't Little League so he won't be receiving a trophy of any kind.

Chen made that hold up as Boston only managed seven hits, two each for Jacoby Ellsbury and Stephen Drew. Rubby De La Rosa looked great on Tuesday in Houston but predictably against a real MLB team, he struggled big time. Any chances of a Red Sox rally were put to bed as he served up solo homers to Billy Butler and Justin Maxwell.

The only embarrassment that Boston saved themselves from was avoiding a shutout. Jonny Gomes (who batted fourth) doubled with one out in the ninth and Drew (who batted fifth) knocked him in with an RBI single. No worries though as Mike Napoli (dropped down to 6th) proceeded to ground into a double play to end it. He continues to be mired in a soul-crushing slump.

Jake Peavy (9-4) will try to get his new team back on the right track tomorrow night (8:10, NESN) as he takes on Ervin Santana (8-6). Expect Ortiz to be back in the lineup and he'll probably produce too.

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