The Kansas City Royals continued their impressive run, clinching their seventh consecutive win by edging out the Boston Red Sox 2-1 in a 12-inning battle on Friday night. Freddy Fermin delivered the game-winning RBI single, propelling the Royals to their 16th victory in the last 18 games .
Pitching Duel Sets the Stage
Both teams showcased exceptional pitching performances, keeping the game scoreless through the first 10 innings. Royals’ starter Michael Lorenzen was dominant, pitching seven shutout innings, allowing only three hits, and striking out seven without issuing a walk. His changeup was particularly effective, generating 11 whiffs on 15 swings .
On the other side, Red Sox rookie Hunter Dobbins matched Lorenzen’s brilliance, tossing six scoreless innings, yielding five hits, and striking out six. Dobbins lowered his ERA to 2.78 in just his fourth major league start .
Extra-Inning Drama Unfolds
The deadlock was broken in the 11th inning when Rafael Devers’ grounder allowed the Red Sox to score the game’s first run. Devers, who has been at the center of a positional controversy, contributed despite recent tensions with the team over a proposed move to first base .
The Royals responded in the bottom of the 11th, with Vinnie Pasquantino delivering an RBI single to tie the game. In the 12th inning, after Cavan Biggio’s sacrifice bunt advanced Michael Massey to third, Freddy Fermin lined a single into left-center field, securing the walk-off win for Kansas City .
Bullpen Excellence
Kansas City’s bullpen was instrumental in the victory, with six pitchers combining to hold the Red Sox to one run over 12 innings, striking out 10 batters without issuing a walk. Steven Cruz earned his first major league win by pitching the 12th inning, extending his scoreless streak to 18 1/3 innings dating back to September 2023
What’s Next
The Royals aim to continue their winning streak as they face the Red Sox in the second game of the series on Saturday. Left-hander Cole Ragans (2-1, 3.79 ERA) is set to start for Kansas City, while Boston will counter with left-hander Garrett Crochet (3-2, 2.02 ERA) .
With their recent surge, the Royals have positioned themselves as formidable contenders in the American League, showcasing a blend of strong pitching, timely hitting, and resilience. As the season progresses, Kansas City fans have ample reason for optimism.
