When you are a championship contender, it's examples of resilience such as this that you pride yourself on.
After falling behind 4-1 in the fourth inning to an underachieving Boston Red Sox squad who had flummoxed them a night earlier, Kansas City responded as an American League leader should, rallying off the ensuing six runs en route to a come-from-behind 7-4 victory.
Third baseman Mike Moustakas went 2-for-3 with two RBIs, while shortstop Alcides Escober added two hits, an RBI, and a run scored. Right fielder Alex Rios recorded two hits and two runs, and designated hitter Kendrys Morales would hit the go-ahead two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth for the Royals, as Kansas City halted Boston's brief winning streak at two games.
Despite pitching admirably throughout the game's initial four innings, Red Sox starter Rick Porcello ran into a barrage of trouble in the fifth, yielding five runs and surrendering a three-run cushion to the Royals. The right-hander's record plummeted to 4-8 with the loss, as he allowed six earned runs on eight hits and two walks in five innings of work.
After Betts began the evening with a home run on the game's very first at-bat off of Kansas City starter Edinson Volquez (7-4, 3.33 ERA). Volquez finished the game going 5.1 innings allowing eight hits, four runs and two walks. The Royals responded with a dinger of their own in the second with catcher Salvador Perez depositing a solo shot into the left center seats, tying up the game at one.
From there, Boston expanded their advantage as they provided unforseen hope to a ravaged Red Sox Nation. The Sox added one in the third, as catcher Blake Swihart doubled and came around to score on a two-bagger by shortstop Brock Holt. Two more runs came in the fifth as Swihart and Betts reached scoring position with one out and came around to score on an RBI groundout by second baseman Dustin Pedroia and a RBI single to center by Ramirez, increasing the lead to a seemingly convincing 4-1.
However, Kansas City was not prepared to simply tuck in their tails and roll over. Rios began the bottom of the fifth by getting hit with a pitch, and a single by second baseman Omar Infante moved him to third. A subsequent base knock by Escobar scored Rios, and the two remaining baserunners advanced to scoring position on a balk by Porcello during the ensuing at-bat. Moustakas then plated Infante with a sacrifice fly, and an infield hit by center fielder Lorenzo Cain scored Escobar, knotting up the contest at four.
After first baseman Eric Hosmer grounded out, Morales then altered the course of the game, smashing a home run to right to provide Kansas City with a two-run lead they would not relinquish.
The Royals increased the gap in the bottom of the sixth inning, as, facing reliever Steven Wright, Rios singled and stole second to begin the frame. Wright retired the ensuing two batsmen, however left-hander Tommy Layne, inserted by manager John Farrell to face Moustakas, surrendered a single to right center which plated Rios, expanding the Kansas City lead to an indelible 7-4.
Closer Greg Holland retired the side with relative ease in the ninth inning, capturing his 13th save of the season.
In tomorrow's rubber match, Boston's Wade Miley (6-6, 4.88 ERA) faces off against Kansas City's vaunted Chris Young (6-2, 1.98 ERA).
Notes: Red Sox third baseman Pablo Sandoval exited the game with a right ankle sprain suffered in the midst of a fifth-inning throwing error, while Swihart left the contest with a left foot sprain endured while sliding into third base.
Designated hitter David Ortiz was ejected from the game after a confrontation with home plate chief Bruce Dreckman in the seventh inning.