KANSAS CITY, Mo. โ In a thrilling match, Rafael Devers delivered a stunning 440-foot home run to break a 1-1 tie, propelling the Boston Red Sox to a 3-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Sunday. Pitcher Lucas Giolito showcased determination, navigating into the seventh inning to secure his first victory since 2023.
Giolito (1-1) demonstrated resilience on the mound, conceding just two singles and one unearned run over 6 2/3 innings, marking his triumph since returning from a partial elbow ligament tear sustained last season. His last win had come with Cleveland on September 15, 2023.
Devers, who has been under some contention within the Red Sox management, notably with team owner John Henry visiting to discuss his reluctance to play first base, showcased his batting prowess again after going 4-for-4 on Saturday. In the sixth inning, with one out and a runner on first, Devers smashed Seth Lugoโs first pitch into the center field, registering his seventh home run of the season.
Giolito experienced a minor setback in the third inning when he made an errant throw past third base during Kyle Isbelโs bunt, allowing Drew Waters to score. However, he settled down afterward, effectively retiring batters.
The Red Sox found their equalizer when Wilyer Abreu hit a 430-foot homer to right field in the fourth inning, his tenth of the season, finally breaking out of an 0-for-13 slump with three hits.
Closing pitcher Aroldis Chapman secured the win for Boston with a scoreless ninth inning, earning his sixth save. On the other hand, Kansas Cityโs starting pitcher Lugo (3-4) gave up three runs over six innings, marking his fifth consecutive quality start despite the loss.
The Royalsโ offense struggled, managing only four hits, all singles, and suffered back-to-back losses for the first time since their six-game losing streak from April 14-19.
A pivotal moment in the game occurred in the third inning when Giolito expertly escaped a jam with two on and no outs, getting two ground outs and striking out Bobby Witt Jr.
Notably, Devers has shown considerable consistency, reaching base safely in eight of his last nine plate appearances, a testament to his skill and focus at the plate.
Looking ahead, the Red Sox continue their road trip, with Tanner Houck (0-2, 6.10 ERA) due to pitch against the Detroit Tigersโ Jackson Jobe (2-0, 4.88) on Monday. Meanwhile, the Royals will take on the Houston Astros with Michael Wacha (2-4, 2.98) starting on Tuesday.