Projo Sox Blog

BOSTON -- They say you can walk to the All-Star break, or you can sprint.

The Red Sox, bruised and battered, are limping.

They've been finding ways to win with an ever-changing lineup recently, narrowly staying ahead of the white-hot Yankees in the A.L. East. But the smoke-and-mirrors show ended Thursday night, as they lost to the Kansas City Royals, 8-6, and allowed New York to move into a tie for the division lead.

Boston had an early four-run lead before it fell apart.

Starter Brad Penny made his 17th start of the season and worked only five innings before his pitch count reached 97; with it being so high, the Sox pulled him before the start of the sixth. He allowed three runs on six hits, with one walk and one strikeout, and left with a 5-3 lead. But Boston's bullpen, which has been solid for the majority of the season, stumbled and Kansas City took advantage.

Red Sox relievers entered the game leading the majors in ERA (3.15) and had the lowest mark (28.7 percent) in the A.L. for allowing inherited runners to score.

 That changed.

"Our bullpen gave up some runs," said manager Terry Francona. "When you ask them for four innings, that happens sometimes."

Francona doesn't think it'll be a long-term problem -- "I love our bullpen. I think we have the best bullpen in the league." -- but admitted it was the difference in the game.

"Scoring runs wasn't the problem tonight," he said. "We gave up too many."

Boston did score early with help from Nos. 2, 3 and 4 in the order.

Dustin Pedroia provided a one-out double to left, Kevin Youkilis slapped a RBI single to left and then David Ortiz crushed a two-run homer to give Boston a 3-0 advantage in the bottom of the first inning.

Ortiz' homer, his 11th of the season and 300th of his career, was a laser into the Monster Seats off Kansas City starter Luke Hochevar on a 2-and-2 offering. Ortiz becomes the first player since Manny Ramirez (August 2002) to hit his 300th homer with the Red Sox. Only 19 active players have reached that plateau.

Boston pushed across another run in the bottom of the third inning on Jason Bay's RBI single to gain a 4-0 lead.

A four-run lead against the Royals would seem safe.

But it wasn't.

Penny allowed three runs on four hits as Kansas City worked its way back in the top of the fourth inning. Despite the struggles, Penny settled in and retired the side in order in the top of the fifth. With a marginal one-run lead, Pedroia hit a solo home run in the home half of the inning for a 5-3 lead.

That wasn't safe, either.

With Penny out of the game, Manny Delcarmen entered in the top of the sixth inning and surrendered two runs on two hits before fellow bullpen arm, Justin Masterson, also surrendered two runs on two hits, including a home run by David DeJesus as the Royals gained a 7-5 lead.

Boston's bullpen continued to let this one get away. After reliever Ramon Ramirez put up a zero in the seventh inning, the Royals got to him in the eighth when Willie Bloomquist provided a RBI triple for an 8-5 lead.

The Red Sox threatened in the eighth inning when they loaded the bases with one out, but came away with only one run on a sacrifice fly by Mark Kotsay to cut Boston's deficit.

With three games remaining with the Royals, the Red Sox can only continue to grind it out until the much-needed break.

-- JOE McDONALD

 Tags  Boston Red Sox Kansas City Royals Red Sox Royals

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