Brock Holt of Boston, right, celebrates his winning RBI single Thursday with Christian Vazquez at Fenway Park. Michael Dwyer/Associated Press
BOSTON — Brock Holt helped the Red Sox make quick work of the Kansas City Royals in a victory Thursday that was two weeks in the making.
Holt hit an RBI single with one out in the 10th inning as Boston beat Kansas City 5-4 to complete a weather-suspended game that began Aug. 7.
“We wanted to end it as quick as possible,” said Holt, who hopped on a flight to San Diego with his teammates after the game. “It was probably the best outcome we could have had.”
The original contest was halted after a 1-hour, 49-minute rain delay early on Aug. 8 with the score 4-4 and nobody out in the top of the 10th inning. Royals catcher Meibrys Viloria was facing a 2-1 count against Red Sox reliever Josh Taylor.
Play resumed 14 days, 14 hours and 18 minutes later when Taylor (1-1) pitched to Nick Dini, who pinch hit for Viloria and lined out to first base.
“It’s weird, especially when I was anticipating facing a lefty (Viloria) and then they bring in a righty (Dini),” Taylor said.
Taylor struck out Ryan O’Hearn, and pinch-hitter Bubba Starling grounded out to end the Royals’ inning. Starling took the spot of Billy Hamilton, who went 2 for 4 with a strikeout Aug. 7 but was designated for assignment Aug. 16.
Fans under 18 were allowed into Fenway Park for free and adults paid a $5 admission fee Thursday. Early arrivers were allowed to walk around the warning track and concessions were sold at a discounted price. Michael Dwyer/Associated Press
Christian Vazquez doubled to center field after Andrew Benintendi struck out looking to lead off Boston’s 10th. Richard Lovelady (0-3) intentionally walked pinch-hitter Sam Travis before Holt singled on a line drive to left to score Chris Owings, who was pinch running for Vazquez.
The official time of game was 3:48, with only 12 minutes played Thursday.
“The way things have been going, (I thought) we might play 16 innings,” said Red Sox Manager Alex Cora, whose team lost 14 of 22 coming in. “But I’m glad Christian put a good swing and then Brock put a good swing.”
Viloria’s two-run single in the third inning Aug. 7 gave Kansas City a 2-0 lead. J.D. Martinez tied it with a two-run homer in the fourth and Xander Bogaerts’ two-run double made it 4-2 in the fifth.
Whit Merrifield singled in a run in the sixth and Nicky Lopez doubled in the seventh to make it. Play was stopped at 10:47 p.m. and the game was suspended at 12:36 a.m.
With Kansas City nearly 30 games out of a playoff spot, Manager Ned Yost suggested after the suspension that the teams wait until the end of the season to see if completing the game was necessary. “That’s the smart thing to do,” Yost said Aug. 8.
Before Thursday, Boston’s most recent suspended game was April 16, 2010, at home against Tampa Bay, and resumed the following day. Kansas City’s last suspended game, an Aug. 31, 2014, home contest versus Cleveland, was completed that Sept. 22.
NO DAYS OFF
Both teams forfeited an off day to finish the game. The Royals flew in from Baltimore on Wednesday night after dropping 2 of 3 games to the Orioles. The Red Sox already were home after losing on back-to-back days to Philadelphia.
FREE BASEBALL
Fans under 18 were allowed into Fenway Park for free and a $5 admission fee for adults was to be donated to the Jimmy Fund. Early arrivers were allowed to walk around the warning track on the field and concessions were sold at a discounted price.
JIMMY FUNDED
The 18th annual WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon took place Tuesday and Wednesday, and featured the stories of cancer patients, doctors and researchers during both game broadcasts. A total of $3,471,104 was raised to support nearby Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Royals: Right-hander Jake Newberry was placed on the 10-day injured list because of right shoulder inflammation, and right-hander Kyle Zimmer was recalled from Triple-A Omaha. … Right-hander Jesse Hahn (UCL sprain in right elbow) began a rehab assignment with the Arizona League Royals.
Red Sox: Left-hander David Price (left wrist cyst) was scheduled to throw another bullpen session Thursday but wasn’t spotted on the field before the game. Cora said the team will decide on a course of action.
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