Xander Bogaerts belted a go-ahead grand slam in a five-run third inning and the Red Sox went on to beat the Royals 10-6 at Fenway Park. Mitch Moreland also homered for Boston, which spotted KC a 3-0 lead in the first. Hector Velazquez struck out three over two innings of one-hit relief to get the win. Boston’s 19 wins in April are a franchise record.
Meanwhile, Kansas City’s 21 losses (first two in March) give the Royals 19 losses in the month of April to set a franchise record. KC had 18 losses three times in 1996, 2005, and 2007 when the club lost 18. Seven April wins is the fewest since 2012 when the Royals went 6-15 in the month of April that year.
Jason Hammel struggled giving up eight hits and eight runs in four-and-two-thirds frames to fall to 0-and-3. Whit Merrifield went 3-for-5 with two RBI and Alcides Escobar had three hits and drove in a run for the Royals. Third baseman Mike Moustakas left Monday’s game with a right forearm bruise after being hit by a pitch from Rodriguez in the first inning. X-rays taken at Fenway Park were negative. Moustakas said after the game that the injury was not serious.
Royals right-hander Scott Barlow made his Major League debut. Barlow struck out the first man he faced, Christian Vazquez, and pitched a scoreless inning. Barlow allowed a run in his second inning of work, and then another scoreless frame. “I got to warm up in Kansas City and my heart was pounding then,” Barlow said. “But being at Boston and at Fenway, your heart is coming out of your chest.”
