Fenway follies: Red Sox rout Royals 8-3

The Red Sox have scored the most runs in the American League this year, and they showed why tonight, drilling the Royals 8-3 in Boston. It was not the pitcher's duel many expected from two of the better pitchers in the American League, Danny Duffy and David Price. Duffy takes his first loss for the Royals since June 6 against the Orioles.

Duffy was not very sharp early on, although he got little help from home plate umpire Adrian Johnson. Dustin Pedroia led off the first with a single, then Duffy hung a pitch up that was hammered out of the stadium by Xander Bogaerts. David Ortiz followed with a fly ball that Alex Gordon and two other defenders inexplicably lost in the evening sky, allowing it to fall for a single. Luckily, Ortiz was erased on a ball that got away from Salvador Perez that took Ortiz tried to advance on, but it took three eons for him to get to second base before he was tagged out.

The Royals responded to the challenge quickly. The next inning, Salvadoz Perez blistered a pitch off the seats on top of the Green Monster for a solo home run. Alex Gordon laced a double in the gap, and Alcides Escobar drove him home to tie it 2-2.

Duffy continued to get hit in the second when Jackie Bradley, Jr. launched a ball in the right field corner for a ground-rule double to score Boston’s Chris Young. Dustin Pedroia launched a double to score another run, advancing to third when, on the relay, Alcides Escobar threw the ball to second, only to have no one covering.

Chris Young led off the fourth with a walk, his second of the game, then came around to score on a double by Dustin Pedroia, the eighth consecutive time he has reached base in the series. In the fifth, Mookie Betts and Hanley Ramirez hit back-to-back solo home runs to put the game away at 7-2.

sad Ryan is sad #Royals pic.twitter.com/uPjSkbomG5

— Ryan Landreth (@ryan_landreth) August 28, 2016

Duffy exited after five innings having given up seven runs, the most runs he has given up in a start since August 16, 2011. After a rough second inning, David Price settled down and allowed just one hit after that. He left after six innings, with just two runs allowed, striking out seven Royals hitters. Salvador Perez was able to add a second home run Robbie Ross, but the game was well in hand.

The Royals lost a golden opportunity to move up in the standings with the Orioles losing, and several other fellow contenders losing as well. But winning the series tomorrow night would be huge, and hopefully Duffy is able to rebound from a rough start tonight for a phenomenal September.

Current Wild Card Standings