KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Andrew Benintendi homered, doubled, walked a career-high four times and scored four runs, and the Boston Red Sox routed the Kansas City Royals 15-4 on Saturday night.

Mookie Betts had four hits, raising his American League-leading average to .343. Ten Red Sox players had RBI as they scored a season high in runs. They scored 11 runs after the sixth inning.

Benintendi became the first Boston player to walk four times and homer in a game since David Ortiz in 2007. He also drove in two runs.

Xander Bogaerts had three RBI for the Red Sox, who have won five straight and 12 of their past 15.

Christian Vazquez had a two-run, two-out single in the seventh.

Royals pitchers walked 13, one shy of the franchise record, including three in the three-run seventh. Mitch Moreland’s sacrifice fly scored Benintendi, who led off the inning with his fourth walk, for the first run of the inning.

The Red Sox rallied from a three-run deficit to take the lead with a four-run fifth, which Bogaerts highlighted with a three-run double.

Royals rookie starter Brad Keller walked five, including Benintendi and Moreland in the fifth to load the bases before Bogaerts’ double. J.D. Martinez singled in the initial run of the inning, hiking his major league-leading RBI total to 74.

David Price, however, could not hold the lead. Price, who had never hit three batters in a game, hit three Royals in a four-batter span, including Lucas Duda with the bases loaded to bring home Whit Merrifield in the fifth to tie the score at 4.

Price was lifted after 4 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on six hits with nine strikeouts.

Heath Hembree (4-1) worked 1 1/3 hitless innings to pick up the victory. Jason Adam (0-2), the third of seven KC pitchers, took the loss. Catcher Drew Butera got the final out in his sixth career relief appearance and his first since 2016.

The Royals led 3-0 after Duda homered in the second and they scored twice more in the third.

The Royals have lost eight straight and 27 of 32 to fall 38 games below .500 for the first time since ending the 2006 season 62-100. They have lost 14 of their past 15 games at Kauffman Stadium.

LONGEST GAME

The game lasted 4 hours, 3 minutes, the longest nine-inning game for both clubs this season.

MOUSTAKAS AT FIRST

Mike Moustakas, who normally plays third, made his third start of the season at first. It was probably no coincidence a Yankees scout was in attendance and they are in the market for a first baseman.

ROSTER MOVE

The Royals placed RHP Justin Grimm on unconditional release waivers. Grimm had been on the disabled list with a right shoulder impingement. He was 1/3 with a 13.50 ERA in 16 relief appearances.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Red Sox: RHP Joe Kelly was led off the field by the trainer in the eighth with an undisclosed injury after retiring the first two batters. . LHP Drew Pomeranz (bicep tendinitis) made a rehab start Saturday for Triple-A Pawtucket. He allowed one run on five hits and two walks over three innings, while striking out one. He threw 37 strikes in 60 pitches and induced six groundball outs against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

UP NEXT

Red Sox: RHP Rick Porcello, who is 10-3 with a 3.57 ERA in 18 starts, is the probable for the series finale.

Royals: RHP Jakob Junis has lost his previous seven starts to tumble to 5-10 with a 5.13 ERA in 17 starts.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chris Sale struck out 12 in six innings, Mookie Betts, J.D. Martinez and Xander Bogaerts homered, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 10-5 on Friday night.

Sale’s 16-inning scoreless streak was snapped by Alcides Escobar’s two-out RBI single in the second, but that was it for the skidding Royals against the ace left-hander. Sale (9-4) has allowed one run and 10 hits over 20 innings in his past three starts.

Boston stretched its win streak to four with its ninth victory in 11 games overall. It leads the majors with 60 victories and a .674 winning percentage.

The Red Sox jumped on Jason Hammel (2-11) for eight runs in the first two innings.

Betts drove Hammel’s third pitch over the center-field fence for his 100th career homer. It was his fourth leadoff drive this season.

Brock Holt added a two-run single as Boston batted around in a four-run first.

Martinez and Bogaerts each hit a two-run shot in the second. It was Martinez’s major league-leading 27th homer, and Bogaerts improved to 6 for 11 with two homers and seven RBI versus Hammel.

Hammel was pulled after the second. The veteran right-hander has surrendered 23 runs, 21 earned, and 28 hits in 12 innings in his past three starts. He leads the AL in losses, and his ERA is up to 6.16.

Mike Moustakas hit a two-run homer in the eighth for Kansas City, which has dropped seven straight and 19 of 22. Burch Smith pitched four scoreless innings in relief of Hammel.

The Royals are 37 games below .500 for the first time since finishing the 2006 season with a 62-100 record. Since June 1, they have been outscored 165-72 while losing 26 of 31.

RARE TRIPLE

Royals slugger Lucas Duda tripled in the seventh inning. It was his first three-base hit since July 17, 2011.

MAKING MOVED

The Royals claimed left-hander Enny Romero off waivers from the Pirates. Rookie right-hander Trevor Oaks was optioned to Triple-A Omaha. The Royals also transferred right-hander Blaine Boyer (lower back strain) from the 10-day disabled list to the 60-day.

FUTURE STARS

Royals prospect Seuly Matias was named to the All-Star Futures Game on July 15 in Washington. The 19-year-old outfielder has 24 home runs with Class A Lexington. The Red Sox representative is right-hander Bryan Mata, who at 19 is the youngest pitcher in the Class A Carolina League, where he is 5-2 with a 3.14 ERA.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Red Sox: INF Dustin Pedroia (left knee inflammation) returned to Boston to be evaluated by the medical staff. “For them to see firsthand how he was reacting to certain drills, certain movements, he felt that it was productive,” manager Alex Cora said. … LHP Drew Pomeranz (biceps tendinitis) will make a rehab start Saturday with Triple-A Pawtucket. … RHP Stephen Wright (left knee inflammation) has been slowed in his rehab and likely won’t be activated before the All-Star break. … 1B Mitch Moreland (back spasms) was not in the lineup again. He has not played since one at-bat Tuesday, but Cora said he likely would start Saturday.

Royals: INF Cheslor Cuthbert (lower back strain) is 4 for 15 with one home run in his first five games on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Omaha.

UP NEXT

Red Sox: LHP David Price starts Saturday for the first time since being removed after allowing eight runs in 3 1/3 innings Sunday against the Yankees.

Royals: RHP Brad Keller gets the ball for Kansas City. He pitched a six-hitter at Seattle in his previous start, but lost 1-0.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Trevor Bauer pitched effectively into the eighth inning and the Cleveland Indians beat the skidding Kansas City Royals 3-2 on Wednesday night for a three-game sweep.

Michael Brantley had an early RBI double and the Indians scored all their runs in the first three innings on only one hit. Bauer struck out eight and walked one over 7 2/3 innings.

The plummeting Royals have lost six straight and 18 of 21. They have scored four or fewer runs in 25 of their past 26 games and are barely ahead of Baltimore for the worst record in the majors.

After winning on grand slams by Francisco Lindor and Yan Gomes the previous two nights, the Indians managed only four hits — two in the ninth inning.

Bauer (8-6) has struck out eight or more in eight consecutive starts. He allowed seven hits, six of them singles, and is 3-1 in his past four starts.

Cody Allen worked the ninth to earn up his 18th save in 19 chances.

Lindor walked to start the game, stole second and scored on Brantley’s double. Brantley went to third on Jose Ramirez’s flyout and scored on Edwin Encarnacion’s sacrifice fly.

The Indians manufactured a run without a hit in the second. Jason Kipnis and Tyler Naquin opened the inning with walks. Roberto Perez advanced both with a sacrifice bunt, and Greg Allen delivered a sacrifice fly.

Kansas City used a double steal to create a run in the second. Alex Gordon, who was hit by a pitch, and Hunter Dozier, who reached on an infield single, were at the corners with two outs. They pulled off a successful double steal with Gordon scoring. It was Dozier’s first career steal.

The last Royals player to steal home was Alex Rios on July 20, 2015, against Pittsburgh, also as part of a double steal.

Alcides Escobar singled in the Kansas City fifth and advanced to third on Drew Butera’s one-out single. Escobar scored on Whit Merrifield’s sacrifice fly.

Royals starter Trevor Oaks (0-2), recalled from Triple-A Omaha to take Ian Kennedy’s spot in the rotation, was removed after four innings and 73 pitches. He allowed three runs on two hits and four walks.

Oaks had a 0.62 ERA in his last seven Triple-A starts. Kennedy went on the disabled list with a strained left oblique.

FIRST START AT THIRD

Dozier made his first big league start at third base. Dozier played 401 games at third, starting 281, in the Royals’ minor league system. He had started 35 games at first base, two in right field and two as the DH this season.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Indians: OF Brandon Guyer (bruised left knee) did not play after fouling a pitch off his leg in the ninth inning Tuesday. X-rays were negative. “He’s got a bruise from the bone to the kneecap above his shin,” manager Terry Francona said. . LHP Andrew Miller (right knee inflammation) is scheduled to throw a bullpen Thursday. . LHP Tyler Olson (shoulder strain) threw 17 pitches for Triple-A Columbus on a rehab assignment. He retired two batters, walked one, struck out one and did not allow a hit.

Royals: 3B Mike Moustakas (back spasms) was held out of the lineup for the second straight game. “It’s not serious at all,” manager Ned Yost said. “He came in today and still felt it a little bit. With an off day tomorrow, there’s no sense in pushing it.” . OF Bubba Starling (oblique strain) was sent to the rookie-level Arizona League to begin a rehab assignment. Starling, a 2011 first-round draft pick, has not played since May 10 with Triple-A Omaha.

UP NEXT

Indians: Open a homestand Friday against the Athletics with RHP Carlos Carrasco (8-5, 4.24 ERA) starting. Oakland will counter with RHP Paul Blackburn (2-2, 6.46).

Royals: RHP Jason Hammel (2-10, 5.56) starts Friday night against the Red Sox at Kauffman Stadium. LHP Chris Sale (8-4, 2.41) gets the ball for Oakland.

— Associated Press —