KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Second baseman Jemile Weeks doubled twice and scored two runs as the Boston Red Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 4-2 on Friday night, knocking the Royals out of first place in the American League Central.
The Royals’ defeat, coupled with the Detroit triumph over Cleveland, dropped the Royals a half-game behind the Tigers, the defending division champions. The Royals have lost five of their last seven games, scoring 12 runs in the losses.
Rookie right-hander Allen Webster picked up his first victory since Aug. 14, holding the Royals to four hits and two runs over six innings.
The Royals are winless in five games against the Red Sox, who are last in the AL East, hitting .191 (31-for-162) while scoring only 10 runs with nine extra-base hits.
Right fielder Nori Aoki, second baseman Omar Infante, left fielder Alex Gordon and designated hitter Billy Butler — the Royals’ first four hitters — went a combined 0-for-15.
The Red Sox took advantage of third baseman Mike Moustakas’ throwing error and right-hander Yordano Ventura’s wild pitch to score three runs (one unearned) in the third. Ventura also hit designated hitter Daniel Nava with a pitch to contribute to that Boston rally.
With one out, Weeks doubled down the right-field line and scored on right fielder Mookie Betts’ single. Betts wound up scoring on Moustakas’ throwing error on left fielder Yoenis Cespedes’ infield single. Nava scored the final run of the inning on a wild pitch when Cespedes stole second.
First baseman Eric Hosmer homered in the fourth with left fielder Alex Gordon, who had walked, aboard as the Royals cut the lead to 3-2. It was Hosmer’s first home run since July 10 and his seventh of the season. Hosmer hit a 2-0 Webster offering just over the right-field wall, an estimated 356-feet.
Weeks doubled to left to lead off the fifth for his third straight two-bagger and Betts was hit by a pitch. Nova wormed a single past shortstop Alcides Escobar on an 0-2 count to score Weeks.
NOTES: DH David Ortiz (bruised right foot) and 1B Mike Napoli (dislocated finger, sore toe) were not in the Red Sox lineup. … Royals DH Josh Willingham (groin injury) was unavailable. Billy Butler, who had not played since Monday, replaced Willingham. … Royals LHP Danny Duffy, who was skipped his last start with a sore shoulder, threw about 30 pitches at 75 feet off a flat surface with no problems. … Royals RHP Greg Holland, who has not pitched since Sept. 3 because of triceps tightness, was available. … RHP Jeremy Guthrie, who gave up eight runs on 10 hits and a walk in 2 2/3 innings in a loss Monday at Detroit, will start Saturday against the Red Sox.