KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Royals finished their six-game home stand with a flourish Sunday afternoon thanks in large part to a strong start from left-handed veteran Mike Minor.
Minor’s fourth quality start of the season served as a steadying force as the Royals led by as many as five runs in a series-clinching 7-3 win over the Boston Red Sox in front of an announced 20,736 at Kauffman Stadium.
The Royals (32-38) took two of three games in the series to record their first series victory over the Red Sox since they took two out of three in Boston’s Fenway Park July 28-30, 2017.
The victory also gave the Royals their first series win since they swept a two-game set against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Kansas City May 31-June 1.
Minor (6-4) held the Red Sox to two runs on nine hits and one walk in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out six. He has allowed one walk or fewer in five consecutive starts.
Jarrod Dyson’s two-out, two-run double in the third inning — culimating an 11-pitch at-bat — gave the Royals their first lead of the game, and they never turned back.
Royals leadoff hitter Whit Merrifield went 2 for 5 with a home run and two runs scored. He also collected his 800th career hit in the majors with a third-inning single to right field.
Shortstop Adalberto Mondesi hit a pair of doubles and scored two runs before coming out of the game after the sixth inning with the Royals up by five runs.
Nicky Lopez and Hunter Dozier had three hits apiece.
Next up for the Royals is an off-day on Monday. They start a 10-game road trip Tuesday and won’t have another scheduled day off until Monday, July 12.
.jpg?w=600)
