Kansas City Royals Suffer Sweep in Boston

The Kansas City Royals opened the 2nd half with a humiliating sweep to last-place Boston by finishing their 3-game series with a 6-0 loss at Fenway Park Sunday afternoon.

The Royals seemed disinterested in winning, much less poised to make a playoff run. Instead, they looked like they belonged in the cellar far more than Boston—who, after all, won the World Series last year. Apparently, the scheduled 4-day All-Star break wasn’t enough for the Royals, who have instead decided to take off a full week.

Kansas City’s 3rd consecutive loss to Boston drops the Royals below .500 for the first time since early June. The Royals are now 7.5 games behind Detroit and have now fallen to 3rd place in the American League Central.

On the Mound

Yordano Ventura has been terrific in his rookie season so far. However, his game in Boston is not going to become part of his year-end highlight reel. Ventura lasted only 4.1 innings, surrendering 9 hits, 4 walks, and 6 earned runs with 0 strikeouts. Ventura took his 8th loss of the season (7-8).

Francisley Bueno entered in the game in the 5th and pitched 2.2 scoreless innings. Bueno did not allow a hit and only 1 walk against 4 strikeouts.

Scott Downs pitched the 8th inning without allowing a run.

At the Plate

Boston starter Jon Lester dominated the Kansas City Royals lineup by holding them to 4 hits in 8.0 innings pitched, allowing 0 earned runs with 8 strikeouts. Lester earned his 10th win of the season.

Alcides Escobar got the only extra-base hit with a double, part of his 2-3 day.

Eric Hosmer kept his 16-game hitting streak going with his single to center in the 6th. Hosmer went 1-3 on the day, with a single and a hit-by-pitcher.

This and That

Salvador Perez missed Sunday’s game with a strained groin. The Royals expect him to return to the lineup on Monday. Brett Hayes started in Perez’s place on Sunday and went hitless in 3 at bats.

Alcides Escobar committed an error for the 2nd day in a row.

The Royals scored 5 total runs in their 3 games in Boston. That kind of performance won’t win in single A ball, much less the major leagues.

Kansas City has lost 9 of its last 12 games, and is 9-17 since the end of their 10-game winning streak in June.

KC Kingdom Player of the Game

The fact is, no player really deserves recognition for their performance in this debacle. The team deserves a sleepwalking award for failing to wake up on Sunday. However, if I must give a prize to someone, I suppose it has to be Francisley Bueno for holding the Red Sox scoreless for 2.2 innings. While there was little hope the impotent Kansas City Royals offense would mount a comeback, he did—at least—keep the remote possibility alive.

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• Billy Butler – 2
• Francisley Bueno
• Danny Valencia
• Christian Colon
• Raul Ibanez
• Jarrod Dyson – 2
• Lorenzo Cain – 6
• Johnny Giavotella
• Wade Davis
• Norichika Aoki
• Salvador Perez – 6
• Jeremy Guthrie  – 5
• Jason Vargas – 6
• Alex Gordon – 9
• Bruce Chen
• James Shields – 8
• Yordano Ventura – 4
• Mike Moustakas
• Danny Duffy – 7
• Omar Infante – 4
• Mike Moustakas – 5
• Alcides Escobar – 5
• Eric Hosmer – 12
• Michael Mariot

The Red Sox

Along with Jon Lester, LF Daniel Nava spearheaded Boston’s win by going 2-3, with a double, home run (6), 1 walk, and 3 RBI’s.

Up Next

The Royals head to Chicago to take on the White Sox in a 3-game series. The pitching opponents don’t get any easier, with Chicago sending ace Chris Sale (8-1, 2.08) to the mound against no. 5 starter Jeremy Guthrie (5-8, 4.56 ERA) for Kansas City. Game time is 7:10 PM CST at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago.

Box.

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table.

2B: A Escobar (25, off J Lester).
HBP: E Hosmer (3, by J Lester).
TB: A Escobar 3; D Valencia; E Hosmer.
GIDP: O Infante (4).
Team LOB: 6.
With RISP: 0 for 6.
Fielding
DP: 1. D Valencia-A Escobar-E Hosmer.
E: A Escobar (10).

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table.

2B: D Nava (7, off Y Ventura); S Victorino (6, off Y Ventura).
HR: D Ross (6, off Y Ventura, 4th inn, 1 on, 1 out to Deep LF).
SF: D Nava (1, off Y Ventura).
TB: D Ross 4; S Victorino 3; D Nava 3; J Bradley 2; B Holt 2.
GIDP: D Ortiz (12).
RBI: D Nava 3 (13); D Ross 2 (10); D Pedroia (37).
Team LOB: 10.
With RISP: 2 for 14.
Fielding
DP: 1. S Drew-D Pedroia-M Carp.

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table.

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table.

Balks: None.
WP: Y Ventura (8).
HBP: J Lester (4; E Hosmer).
IBB: None.
Pickoffs: None