KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Eric Hosmer homered for the second straight day, the Royals turned their first three hits off Boston’s Steven Wright into runs, and Kansas City held off the Red Sox 3-2 on Wednesday to open a day-night doubleheader.
Hosmer followed a single by Alcides Escobar with a homer in the first inning, and Lorenzo Cain added a sacrifice fly after a triple by Jarrod Dyson in the sixth for the Royals’ only offense.
It proved to be enough for Ian Kennedy and the Royals’ bullpen.
Kennedy allowed two runs on six hits and a walk over 5 2/3 innings, striking out nine, before Brian Flynn – who earned his first career win – and Luke Hochevar combined to strike out four consecutive batters.
Kelvin Herrera allowed back-to-back base hits in the eighth, but Xander Bogaerts was thrown out by Dyson from right field trying to reach third base. Travis Shaw proceeded to fly out to end the inning.
Wade Davis worked around a single in ninth for his ninth save.
Wright (3-4) surrendered five hits and walked no one in a complete game for Boston.
The knuckleballer set down 10 in a row at one point, but the two extra-base hits he allowed came back to haunt him. It was a nice rebound from his last start, when he allowed five runs in 4 1/3 innings against Houston.
Chris Young homered in the fifth for the Red Sox. David Ortiz drove in Boston’s other run.
The doubleheader, caused by a rainout of Monday night’s series opener, came after Kansas City won 8-4 on Tuesday night. Left-hander David Price will try to salvage a win for Boston from the three-game series when he starts against right-hander Edinson Volquez in the nightcap.
The Red Sox had sailed into the series after averaging 10.4 runs on their seven-game homestand. But the cold, hard rain that fell Monday night and into Tuesday apparently cooled off their offense.
Meanwhile, the Royals (20-19) are starting to heat up after a prolonged cold spell. The reigning World Series champions nudged back over .500 with their third straight win and fourth in five games.
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