KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Jacoby Ellsbury matched a career high with four hits and drove in a pair of runs Saturday night to lead the Boston Red Sox to a 5-3 victory against the Kansas City Royals.
Ellsbury had RBI doubles in the fourth and sixth innings, and also stole his major league-leading 42nd base. It was his 10th career four-hit game and second this season.
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The Red Sox scored four runs in the fourth. Will Middlebrooks, who was just recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket, fueled the rally with a two-run single. Stephen Drew drove in a run with a double, extending his hitting streak to a season-best 11 games.
The Royals answered with a three-run fifth. Eric Hosmer and Billy Butler drilled back-to-back RBI doubles and Miguel Tejada hit a two-out single.
Red Sox starter Felix Doubront failed to get an out in the fifth, facing four batters before being replaced by Brandon Workman. Doubront gave up three runs on six hits and four walks.
Royals right-hander Jeremy Guthrie (12-8), who had won his previous four starts, threw a season-high 123 pitches in seven innings, allowing five runs on 10 hits and a walk.
Ellsbury drove in Middlebrooks with a sixth-inning double for the final run off Guthrie.
Workman (3-1) picked up his second victory of the week with 11/3 scoreless innings. Koji Uehara pitched a flawless ninth to collect his 12th save in 15 chances.
Billy Butler had three hits, including two doubles, for the Royals, who lost for only the third time in 18 games.
NOTES: Both clubs made four roster moves before the game. The Red Sox recalled Middlebrooks, who was hitting .269 with 10 home runs for Pawtucket, and activated left-hander Franklin Morales from the disabled list. They placed infielder Brandon Snyder, sore right elbow, on the 15-day DL and optioned right-hander Pedro Beato to Pawtucket. … The Royals placed outfielder Lorenzo Cain on the disabled list with a pulled left oblique. They recalled left-handers Will Smith and Donnie Joseph from Triple-A Omaha and designated for assignment left-hander Francisley Bueno, who picked up the victory Friday with 21⁄3 scoreless innings against the Red Sox. … Royals right-hander Wade Davis, who has been on the family emergency leave after the death of his step-brother, will be activated Sunday and will be the starter Monday against Miami.
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