The Red Sox score three times in the bottom of the ninth to top Kansas City.

BOSTON (AP) – Mark Bellhorn tied the score with a two-run homer in the ninth inning and pinch-hitter Jason Varitek doubled home the winning run, leading the Boston Red Sox over the Kansas City Royals 7-6 Friday night.

Boston trailed 6-2 in the eighth inning before rallying to win its third straight following a season-high five-game losing streak. Kansas City, 2-13 on the road this season, has lost 17 of its last 21 overall.

Doug Mirabelli drove in Manny Ramirez with an eighth-inning single after Gabe Kapler’s fly ball fell in front of center fielder Carlos Beltran for a single. Kapler also came around on Mirabelli’s hit when left fielder Matt Stairs threw wildly past second base for an error.

Mike MacDougal (0-1) walked Johnny Damon leading off the ninth, and Bellhorn homered deep into the right-field seats.

After David Ortiz struck out, Ramirez walked. Scott Sullivan relieved and got Kevin Millar to pop to second, then allowed Varitek’s drive down the right-field line. Ramirez barely beat the relay from second baseman Desi Relaford.

Mike Timlin (2-1) pitched a hitless ninth in relief of Tim Wakefield, who allowed six runs – four earned – and nine hits in eight innings.

Damon had a solo homer and double for Boston. Kansas City’s Jeremy Affeldt allowed four runs and 11 hits in 7 1-3 innings.

The Royals built a 2-0 lead on Mike Sweeney’s RBI grounder in the first and a fielding error by Bellhorn at second after Wakefield had caught Beltran off first for what would have been the final out of the inning.

Damon’s homer and Millar’s RBI double tied it in the third. Juan Gonzalez hit a go-ahead single in a four-run fifth that also included Stairs’ RBI double, Joe Randa’s run-scoring infield single. Third baseman Bill Mueller’s throwing error let in another run.

Notes: SS Angel Berroa agreed to an $11 million, four-year contract extension before the game. … Pokey Reese grounded out off Affeldt’s upper right leg, ending the fourth. … The Royals hadn’t drawn a walk in 22 innings until Sweeney did in the fourth. … Boston OF Trot Nixon, on the DL with back problems, was in town to see team physician Dr. Bill Morgan and visited his teammates before batting practice.

… Boston began a stretch of four straight games against left-handed starters.

AP-ES-05-07-04 2222EDT