Jarren Duran hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the seventh inning, and the Boston Red Sox completed a three-game road series sweep of the scuffling Kansas City Royals with a 4-3 victory Wednesday night.
Boston trailed 3-2 entering the seventh, when Carlos Narvaez opened the frame with a single off Kansas City reliever Steven Cruz (0-2). Two batters later, Duran barely cleared the left-field fence with an opposite-field home run to put the Red Sox ahead for good.
Duran was batting .181 after the series opener Monday, but he clubbed a three-run home run in the ninth inning of Boston’s 7-1 victory Tuesday, then had a second consecutive two-hit game Wednesday.
Connelly Early (4-2) allowed three runs on two homers plus four other hits during 6 1/3 innings for the Red Sox.
Aroldis Chapman worked around a leadoff single in the ninth inning to post his 12th save.
Royals starter Michael Wacha allowed two runs, one earned, in six innings. The veteran right-hander yielded six hits and two walks but struck out eight before leaving with the lead.
Kansas City got homers from Salvador Perez and Elias Diaz but still lost for the ninth time in 10 games.
The Royals opened the scoring in the first inning. With two outs, Salvador Perez sent an Early pitch inside the left-field foul pole for career homer No. 311 — six shy of the franchise’s all-time record held by George Brett.
Boston answered to take the lead in the second. Willson Contreras (three hits) led off with a triple into the right field corner, and he stayed at third when Ceddanne Rafaela reached on an error by Kansas City second baseman Nick Loftin.
Nick Sogard’s single to right field drove in Contreras and moved Rafaela to third. After a walk, Rafaela scored on Narvaez’s double-play grounder for a 2-1 Red Sox edge.
The Royals got Early with the long ball again to regain the lead in the fifth. After Starling Marte opened with a walk, Elias Diaz drove the ball in the vicinity of the left field fountains for a 3-2 Kansas City lead.
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