KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Paulo Orlando hit a two-run homer, Eric Hosmer also went deep and the Kansas City Royals beat the hot-hitting Boston Red Sox 8-4 on Tuesday night in the opener of their three-game series.
Orlando also tripled and had a two-run single. Omar Infante and Alcides Escobar drove in runs as Kansas City continued to slowly break out of its season-long offensive funk.
Yordano Ventura (4-2), who has struggled with walks all season, issued one free pass in 5 2/3 innings for Kansas City. He allowed four runs and seven hits before exiting with a one-run lead.
Orlando’s homer highlighted a three-run eighth that gave the Royals some breathing room.
Rick Porcello (6-2) gave up five runs, four earned, on eight hits and two walks for Boston. He lasted five-plus innings, his shortest start since going two innings against the White Sox last July.
Travis Shaw hit a three-run homer to provide most of the Red Sox offense.
Boston actually struck first when Jackie Bradley Jr. extended his hitting streak to 22 games with an RBI double in the second, but Kansas City quickly answered in the third. Escobar drove in Orlando shortly before Hosmer belted a two-out pitch over the center-field wall for a 2-1 lead.
Boston Red Sox manager John Farrell argues with home plate umpire Bill Miller after being ejected during the seventh inning. The Associated Press
Things unraveled for Porcello in the fourth when he gave up three runs on four consecutive one-out singles, matching the second-most runs he’d allowed in a start all season. And while Porcello got through that inning and the fifth, he failed to retire a batter before getting yanked in the sixth.
It was the first time in 16 starts Porcello did not last six innings.
Boston tried to bail him out in the top of the sixth when Shaw swatted a three-run homer, giving the Red Sox a home run in 17 consecutive games. The franchise record is 19 set in July 1996.
The comeback was squelched by Kansas City’s resolute bullpen.
Luke Hochevar got the final out of the sixth and worked a perfect seventh, and Salvador Perez threw out Xander Bogaerts trying to steal second to wipe out the potential tying run in the eighth.
FARRELL GETS TOSSED
Red Sox manager John Farrell was ejected in the seventh for arguing with plate umpire Bill Miller over the strike zone. It was the second time Farrell has been tossed this season.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Red Sox: RHP Joe Kelly (right shoulder impingement) came out of his rehab start at Triple-A Pawtucket in good shape and could start for Boston on Saturday against Cleveland. … LHP Eduardo Rodriguez will be scratched from a planned rehab start Thursday for Pawtucket with more pain in his right knee. “This isn’t something we feel we’re back to ground zero,” Farrell said.
Royals: 3B Mike Moustakas (broken left thumb) will begin a rehab assignment at Double-A Northwest Arkansas on Wednesday. He could rejoin the Royals against the White Sox this weekend in Chicago.
UP NEXT
Boston’s Steven Wright and the Royals’ Ian Kennedy will start the opener of Wednesday’s doubleheader, which will include the makeup of Monday night’s rainout. David Price will start the nightcap for the Red Sox against Kansas City right-hander Edinson Volquez.
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