Alex Verdugo delivered a two-run double to help the Boston Red Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 4-3 on Wednesday night at Fenway Park, in a game that also produced one of the strangest ground-rule doubles in the ballpark's history.
The unusual play came in the top of the second inning with two out and Matt Duffy on first base. Kyle Isbel sent a drive to left field that appeared headed for the glove of Masataka Yoshida. Yoshida lunged and closed his glove, but missed the ball and crashed into the wall. He got to his feet looking confused and searched around for the ball.
It was nowhere on the field. The ball had smashed through one of the red lights on the wall that indicate the number of outs. Yoshida eventually pulled it out through the hole in the light, and the play was ruled a ground-rule double.
Kansas City led 1-0 after MJ Melendez homered in the second, but Triston Casas answered with a home run in the bottom half to tie it. Melendez put the Royals back in front with a leadoff homer in the fourth. It was his 12th of the season and the second multi-homer game of his career.
Boston responded with three runs in the fourth to erase the one-run deficit. Yoshida led off with a double and Rafael Devers drew a one-out walk. Verdugo then doubled to bring in both runners. Luis Urias reached on catcher's interference, and Reese McGuire singled to score Verdugo.
Right-hander Nick Pivetta (8-6) went five innings and struck out eight. He allowed two runs, both on Melendez's homers. Kenley Jansen earned his 25th save of the season, though he gave up a home run to Freddy Fermin in the ninth. Jordan Lyles (3-13) took the loss, working eight innings and allowing four runs on seven hits with six strikeouts.
There was encouraging news on the injury front. Right-hander Garrett Whitlock, who has been out since July 3 with elbow inflammation, made his first rehab start for Triple-A Worcester. He threw 2 1/3 scoreless innings and struck out three.
Boston also made several roster moves before the game. Right-hander Kyle Barraclough was selected to the major league roster, and left-hander Brandon Walter was recalled from Worcester. Right-hander Nick Robertson was optioned to Worcester, and right-hander Dinelson Lamet was designated for assignment.
The series wraps up Thursday. Kansas City is scheduled to start right-hander Alec Marsh (0-5, 6.75 ERA), while Boston will send left-hander James Paxton (6-3, 3.60) to the mound.
