Masataka Yoshida, right, celebrates his three-run homer with Red Sox teammate Justin Turner during Boston’s 7-3 win Sunday against the Kansas City Royals. Reed Hoffmann/Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Masataka Yoshida hit a three-run homer and Adam Duvall had a solo shot to back Chris Sale as the Boston Red Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 7-3 on Sunday.
Sale (6-3) didn’t allow a run over five innings. He gave up two hits and struck out five while walking two. It was the first time he hasn’t allowed a run in a start since July 12 of last season.
“They are a good team and they are very patient and I felt like I was throwing a lot of pitches they were fouling off,” said Sale, who threw 100 pitches. “It’s good to take this last one heading into Tampa.”
The Red Sox have won two straight after losing five in a row and six of seven. They are 5 1/2 games behind Houston and Texas for the last two AL wild cards.
Yoshida’s three-run homer went 415 feet to right field, scoring Justin Turner and Triston Casas in the fourth inning. It was his 14th homer on the year. Duvall added a home run in the sixth inning – his 19th – to make it 4-0.
Yoshida had only one home run since July 26 before Sunday, and his batting average has dropped from .320 to .296.
“He has been feeling better the last few days has been grinding through some things, but his swing is getting back. He took some good cuts and he let it fly,” Boston Manager Alex Cora said of Yoshida. “Those are good signs.”
Boston got two more runs in the seventh, and Rafael Devers hit an RBI double in the ninth.
For Kansas City, Salvador Perez singled home Bobby Witt Jr. in the sixth, and Dairon Blanco hit a two-run single in the ninth off of Kenley Jansen.
“I thought we worked some good at-bats and deep counts but we just couldn’t break through,” Royals Manager Matt Quatraro said.
Taylor Clarke opened the game for the Royals and pitched a scoreless inning before Zack Greinke (1-14) went 3 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on five hits.
“He was a little under the weather today and didn’t have his full stamina, but he was still one pitch away from putting up another zero in the fourth,” Quatraro said of Greinke.
It’s been over a month since the Royals have won a series. They have lost eight of their last nine games.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Boston’s Alex Verdugo left the game in the middle of the bottom of the sixth inning because of left hamstring tightness. … The Red Sox reinstated left-hander Brennan Bernardino from the COVID-19 injured list and placed right-hander Garrett Whitlock on the bereavement list.
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