Royals fall to Red Sox 6-2 after long delay

The losing streak got a little longer on Wednesday, as the Royals dropped their eighth-game in a row after a 6-2 loss to the Red Sox. The loss caps off a 7-20 record in the month of June for Kansas City.

Just like they had done in the first two games, the Royals were the first to strike. In the top of the second, Salvador Perez broke out of his 2-for-24 slump with a solo home run over the Green Monster in left-center field. The homer was Perez’s 19th of the season.

After two clean innings from Kansas City pitching, Mike Minor was bitten by the long ball in the bottom of the third. With two outs and runners on the corner, Minor left an 88-mph fastball over the heart of the plate to J.D Martinez. Martinez, who’d already spanked 15 home runs on the year, punished Minor’s mistake over the wall in center field to give Boston a 3-1 lead.

Two innings later, Minor was knocked around again. After the first two men reached in the bottom of the fifth, Xander Bogaerts singled high off the Green Monster to drive in a run. Later in the frame, Hunter Renfroe brought home the fifth run after beating out a double play ball.

Despite their nightmarish struggles in June, the Royals’ offense responded well in the top of the sixth. Before Martín Pérez recorded an out, Kansas City put runners on the corners with Carlos Santana at the plate. Santana trimmed the lead to three on a groundout, but that’s all that would come of the inning. Moments later, Hunter Dozier grounded into an inning-ending double play with runners at first and third.

When Kansas City took the field in the bottom half, inclement weather caused a delay. After a one hour and 50-minute delay, play resumed around 10:35 p.m with left-hander Richard Lovelady on the bump, who retired all five batters he faced. However, he exited in the seventh with two outs following a line drive to the abdomen.

The Royals, 33-46, will look to avoid a four-game sweep and ninth-straight loss tomorrow afternoon against Boston. Kris Bubic will square off with Nathan Eovaldi. First pitch is slated for 12:10 p.m.