Two Runs Early, Two More Late, One Run Too Many for Royals

Kansas City dropped game one of the series tonight, losing to the Red Sox 4-3 as rumors of a blockbuster trade centered around Adrian Gonzalez and possibly including the likes of Josh Beckett and Carl Crawford swirled through Fenway Park.

Bruce Chen surrendered two runs in the first inning and skirted trouble after giving up two hits in both the second and third. However, the crafty one proceeded to retire 10 of the next 11 Sox before being removed after issuing a lead off walk to Mauro Gomez to start the seventh inning.

In the interim, Eric Hosmer went opposite field for a homer and Alex Gordon went opposite as well with a run scoring double to tie the game at two in the third. The Royals threatened to open the game up in the very next inning when they loaded the bases with just one out. Johnny Giavotella's high chopper turned into a rbi infield hit and the Royals took the lead with the bases still juiced an one out. Hopes were dashed, however, when Lorenzo Cain struck out on three pitches: the third being well above the strike zone. Alcides Escobar followed with a groundout after just two pitches.

After holding the status quo of 3-2 for three innings, the Royals were done in when Pedro Ciriaco doubled in two in the 7th off of Kelvin Herrera. We can forgive Herrera this one transgression, as he had been outstanding for a long term. Particulary since Ciriaco went down and away to stab at Herrera's offering and just blooped it down the left field line.

A Butler single in the 8th, followed by a Jarrod Dyson steal (pinch running for the Sultan) gave the Royals a chance to tie, but Francoeur struck out, Moustakas popped out and Brayan Pena hit the ball hard, but out to center.

Beaten by a bloop, what do you do?