MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Kendrys Morales has resumed his form as a feared power hitter. The Kansas City Royals hope it has come in time to push them back to the postseason.

Morales had two home runs, including a three-run blast in Kansas City’s seven-run ninth inning that propelled the Royals to a 10-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday night.

Morales hit a two-run shot in the first inning to help the Royals overcome the loss of catcher Salvador Perez, who left the game with a right wrist contusion after he was hit by a pitch in the sixth inning. It was his 17th career multihomer game and extended his hitting streak to nine games.

“It’s been some time now where I’ve been starting to feel really, really good,” Morales said through an interpreter. “Now I’m, really comfortable at the plate and I’m making good, hard contact.”

Brian Dozier hit his 39th home run of the season for the Twins, moving him into a tie with Rogers Hornsby (twice) and Alfonso Soriano for fourth-most home runs by a second baseman in a season. He has homered in five straight games, tying Harmon Killebrew and Marty Cordova for the longest streak in Twins history.

Former Twin Drew Butera’s bases loaded single off Brandon Kintzler (0-2) broke a 3-3 tie and got the Royals rolling in the ninth.

Morales has five homers in his last seven games.

“He’s swinging the bat real well right now, that’s for sure,” manager Ned Yost said. “The second (homer) was huge. We were trying to keep (reliever) Wade (Davis) out of the game.”

The Royals started the day two games behind the second wild card in the AL, but with five teams ahead of them. The margin of error is getting slimmer by the day, and a loss to the team with the worst record in the majors certainly would not have helped their cause.

After giving up three homers to Dozier on Monday night, Royals starter Dillon Gee fell behind 0-2 in the first inning and left a fastball up in the zone. Dozier hit it an estimated 395 feet into the second deck in left field, giving him 25 home runs since the All-Star break. Three of those were hit as a DH, but his 22 as a second baseman surpassed Hall of Famer Joe Gordon’s 21 for the most ever by an American League second baseman.

GEE’S START

Gee gave up three runs and eight hits and struck out two in six innings. Kelvin Herrera (2-4) pitched one inning for the win.

Yost said he thought he might have to get a tired bullpen up early when Gee served up long balls to Dozier, Trevor Plouffe and Eddie Rosario in the first two innings. But the right-hander settled in after that and allowed just two hits over the final four innings before yielding to the bullpen.

“Everything he was throwing was elevated in the zone and his location was off but after the second inning he came in and made an adjustment and got in a groove and did a phenomenal job of getting us through six innings and keeping us right there in the game,” Yost said.

ROSTER MOVES

Royals: Recalled INF Christian Colon and selected the contracts of OF Daniel Nava and RHP Kevin McCarthy from Triple-A Omaha. OF Reymond Fuentes and RHP Nick Tepesch were designated for assignment to make room.

Twins: Recalled RHP Tyler Duffey, 1B Kennys Vargas and INF James Beresford from Triple-A Rochester. Manager Paul Molitor said Duffey would return to the starting rotation on Friday against Cleveland.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: OF Lorenzo Cain missed his sixth straight game because of left wrist inflammation. He is listed as day to day.

Twins: Plouffe had to leave the game in the middle of an at-bat in the eighth inning with a left oblique strain. Plouffe left after falling behind 1-2 and was replaced by Vargas. … LHP Tommy Milone (left biceps) and RHP Trevor May (back) threw simulated games on Tuesday. Molitor said both would likely be activated on Friday.

UP NEXT

The Royals send LHP Danny Duffy (11-2, 3.13) to the mound to face Twins RHP Kyle Gibson (5-9, 5.31) in the series finale. Duffy has been dominant for most of the season, but has allowed at least eight hits in three straight starts. Gibson has been largely disappointing in his Twins career, but is 5-4 with a 3.10 ERA in 10 starts against Kansas City.

— Associated Press —

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Coming off a disappointing homestand, and on the edge of the AL wild-card race, the Kansas City Royals can’t afford to let too many more opportunities slip away.

The defending World Series champions regained their winning touch Monday, despite Brian Dozier hitting three home runs for Minnesota. The Royals got homers from Kendrys Morales and Eric Hosmer to pull away from the Twins 11-5.

Jarrod Dyson had three hits and scored three times for Kansas City, which won for the second time in six games.

“We put ourselves in a tough position, but we still believe that we can pull this thing off,” Hosmer said.

Kansas City started the day four games out of the second wild-card spot.

The Royals went 2-4 in their last six games with New York and Detroit, with each of the losses a close one.

“We could be talking about a major run right here. We quite possibly could have been 6-0 at home,” manager Ned Yost said. “We still feel that we’re not out of this thing by any stretch of the imagination.”

Dozier homered on the first pitch from Ian Kennedy (10-9), then hit a two-run shot in the third and a solo drive into the upper deck in the eighth. Dozier became the sixth Minnesota player to hit three home runs in a game, and the first to do it at home.

Dozier has eight home runs in seven games and 38 this season, the most by a Twins player since Harmon Killebrew hit 41 in 1970. Dozier’s 10 home runs against Kansas City this year are the most ever by a Royals opponent.

“It would be better to be on the winning side of it,” Dozier said.

Kennedy struggled with command, allowing four earned runs in 5 1/3 innings but is 4-0 in his past five starts.

Morales hit a three-run drive off Jose Berrios (2-5) in the fifth for a 5-4 lead. Hosmer, who had four RBI, hit a three-run homer in the eighth.

Berrios was called up from Triple-A to start. The Royals tagged him for five earned runs on nine hits in five innings.

Considered the Twins’ top pitching prospect, Berrios allowed 21 earned runs in 22 innings over five August starts before being sent down.

Dozier has hit a majors-most 24 home runs since the All-Star break. He’s connected 36 times as a second baseman and twice as a designated hitter. The AL record for homers in a season by a second baseman is 39 by Alfonso Soriano in 2002 for the Yankees.

“The best way to (get him out) is don’t throw fastballs down the middle and that’s what we did,” Yost said.

Dozier became the second Twins player with a three-homer game this year. Rookie Max Kepler did it at Cleveland.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: OF Lorenzo Cain missed his fifth straight game because of left wrist inflammation. He was allowed to swing a bat Monday and remains day to day.

Twins: Kepler got the day off. Kepler, who leads AL rookies in home runs (16), RBI (59) and walks (37), has played in all but one game since July 28. He struck out five times Sunday. “We talk about young players and the challenge of playing September baseball for the first time,” said manager Paul Molitor. “We’ll try to keep them fresh as we can.”

UP NEXT

Dillon Gee (6-7, 4.33) is scheduled to start for Kansas City on Tuesday against Ervin Santana (7-10, 3.54). Gee was 2-2 with a 3.94 ERA in five August starts and pitched an inning of relief Friday. Santana is 3-1 in his last five starts with a 3.09 ERA.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Detroit Tigers answered Kansas City’s late rally with another big swing by Justin Upton.

Upton hit a two-run homer with two out in the eighth inning, sending the Tigers to a 6-5 victory over the Royals on Sunday.

“We had some great at-bats earlier in the game that we didn’t come through on,” Upton said. “We came through right there. It’s definitely a September feel. They’re in the hunt, we’re in the hunt. Both teams are battling, the crowd is into it. It’s fun. It makes it a lot more fun.”

Upton also doubled in J.D. Martinez in the second. He has seven homers and 18 RBI in his past 14 games.

Miguel Cabrera was on first after a leadoff single when Upton drove a fastball from Joakim Soria (4-7) over the wall in center for his 20th homer, giving Detroit a 6-5 lead. The seven losses are a career high for Soria.

“That was a really good pitch,” Soria said. “Sometimes you have to tip your cap to the hitter.”

Shane Greene (3-3) pitched 1 1/3 innings for the win. Francisco Rodriguez worked the ninth for his 38th save in 42 opportunities.

The Royals batted around in a four-run seventh, highlighted by Jarrod Dyson’s two-run triple with two out. Paulo Orlando doubled home Dyson, but the lead was short-lived.

“It’s a teeter-totter back and forth with this team,” said Andrew Romine, who had two hits for Detroit, including an RBI double in the seventh. “From what I’ve seen the last couple of years since I’ve been here, it’s the same thing every game. So, we know that nobody’s out of the game. We’re not out of it, no matter how many runs. They’re not out of it, no matter how many runs, so we’ve just got to stay mentally locked in.”

Alcides Escobar opened the Kansas City ninth with a double and advanced on Dyson’s groundout. Before Dyson bounced to second, he drove a ball just outside the right-field foul pole. The Royals asked for a review.

“That ball couldn’t have been foul by six inches,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “I don’t think it was much more. It was so close we couldn’t tell on the replay. We could not get an angle on it. We just thought let New York look at it and see what they think. Again it’s a matter of inches and inches didn’t work out in our favor today.”

Escobar was stranded at third when Alex Gordon bounced to second and Orlando grounded out to third.

Martinez also homered for the Tigers. He is hitting .397 with eight home runs and 17 RBI since coming off the disabled list on Aug. 3.

Tigers left-hander Daniel Norris was charged with three runs and four hits in six-plus innings. He struck out seven and walked one.

Escobar homered in the third, tying it at 1 and hiking his hitting streak to 12 games.

Royals starter Edinson Volquez gave up four runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings.

BOYD’S RETURNING

Tigers left-hander Matt Boyd will be recalled Tuesday to start at the White Sox. Boyd went 5-2 with a 4.23 ERA in 16 games, including 14 starts, for Detroit before being optioned to Triple-A Toledo, where he was 2-5 with a 2.25 ERA in 11 starts.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Tigers: OF Cameron Maybin has been out since Monday with a bruised left thumb. … RHP Mike Pelfrey (lower back strain) gave up nine hits in 3 1/3 innings in a rehab start Saturday for Triple-A Toledo at Columbus. “I guess four of them were infield hits; they didn’t get to the dirt,” Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. “His velocity was good. He looked healthy. We’ve got to figure out if we want to try to find another rehab start for him or whether to activate him.”

Royals: Gordon, who left in the ninth inning Saturday with a sore right ankle, was not in the starting lineup Sunday, but was intentionally walked as a pinch hitter in the seventh and then stayed in the game. “It was more precautionary, more than anything else,” Yost said. “He was fighting me to play.” … LF Lorenzo Cain has not played since Tuesday because of left wrist inflammation.

UP NEXT

Tigers: RHP Justin Verlander, who was selected the AL pitcher of the month for August after going 4-0 with a 1.69 ERA, and White Sox LHP Chris Sale are scheduled to start on Monday at U.S. Cellular Field.

Royals: RHP Ian Kennedy, who went 3-0 with a 1.86 ERA in August, will start Monday at Minnesota in the opener of a six-game trip. The Twins are recalling RHP Jose Berrios from Triple-A Rochester to start.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Eric Hosmer hit his career-high 20th homer, Yordano Ventura pitched into and out of trouble, and the Kansas City Royals snapped a three-game losing streak with a 5-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Saturday night.

Hosmer homered in the fourth after Cheslor Cuthbert led off the inning with a double. Hosmer’s previous high was 19 as a rookie in 2011.

Ventura threw 53 strikes and 52 balls in six innings, allowing one run and six hits with six walks and a wild pitch. The Tigers went 1 for 9 with runners on base, stranding nine, while he was on the mound and had a base runner every inning.

Ventura (10-9) improved to 7-0 against the Tigers, including three wins this season, and is 4-0 overall in his past six starts

Michael Fulmer (10-6) gave up three runs and seven hits in six innings for the Tigers, falling to 1-4 in his past five starts. He walked one and struck out four.

Successive bunt singles by Raul Mondesi and Jarrod Dyson led to a run in the fifth as Cuthbert’s two-out single scored Mondesi.

James McCann’s fielder’s choice ground out in the fourth scored J.D. Martinez, who led off the inning with a double, for the only run Ventura allowed.

Alcides Escobar’s bases-loaded single in the ninth scored pinch-runner Terrance Gore and Salvador Perez for the final Kansas City runs. Escobar extended his hitting streak to a season-high 11 games.

Ian Kinsler homered on an 0-2 pitch from Brooks Pounders to lead off the Tigers’ ninth.

Wade Davis, who blew a save Friday, was summoned to get the final outs, striking out Victor Martinez and J.D. Martinez, picking up his 22nd save in 25 opportunities.

ROSTER MOVE

The Tigers purchased the contract of LHP Joe Mantiply from Double-A Erie. In his final 13 outings for Erie, covering 15 innings, Mantiply did not allow a run and held opposing hitters to a .096 batting average. He limited left-handed hitters to a .147 average with a .196 slugging percentage for the season. The Tigers designated for assignment RHP Donn Roach to make roster space for Mantiply.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Tigers: 3B Erick Aybar was scratched with left abdominal soreness, which he aggravated while running the bases Friday. Andrew Romine replaced him in the lineup. … RHP Mike Pelfrey, who is on the disabled list with a lower back strain, made his second rehab start Saturday for Triple-A Toledo, giving up five runs on nine hits in 3 1/3 innings at Columbus, striking out one and walking none.

Royals: LF Alex Gordon left in the ninth inning with right ankle soreness. … OF Lorenzo Cain has not played since Tuesday because of left wrist inflammation. “We’re just trying to get it back to where it’s playable,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. He said Cain received an injection Tuesday.

UP NEXT

Tigers: LHP Daniel Norris, who starts the series finale, is 0-1 with a 3.09 ERA in two career starts against the Royals.

Royals: RHP Edinson Volquez allowed four runs on nine hits in 3 1/3 innings in his Tuesday start against the Yankees.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Miguel Cabrera continues to torment the Kansas City Royals.

Cabrera homered and had a go-ahead two-run single in the ninth to lead the Detroit Tigers to a 7-6 victory over Royals on Friday night.

The veteran slugger has 25 home runs and 108 RBI in his career against Kansas City.

Cabrera, who finished with three hits and four RBI, singled off Wade Davis (1-1) to drive in Ian Kinsler and Jose Iglesias in the ninth and put the Tigers ahead after they gave up the lead in the bottom of the eighth.

“Obviously we’re happy we came out on the winning side, but what a great game to watch, just as a fan of baseball, with the back and forth, both teams scoring off of closers,” Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. “It was good entertainment.”

Davis, who just came off the disabled list and not pitched since July 22, blew his third save in 24 chances.

Cabrera hit a 439-foot shot, his 29th homer, off Peter Moylan in the seventh, and also had an RBI single in Detroit’s three-run third. Justin Upton homered in the second and added an RBI single in the third.

Francisco Rodriguez (3-3) picked up the victory, despite blowing a save in the eighth when Paulo Orlando hit a two-run single to give the Royals a 6-5 lead

“I was thinking I should make a better pitch than that, for sure, that thing right now is eating me inside pretty much,” Rodriguez said. “I’ve got many options to go with and I didn’t. The only good thing possibly I can think of is obviously the guys came back with the two runs. At that point I’ve just got to shut it down, one way or another.”

Orlando, who snapped an 0 for 17 skid with a single in the seventh, punched a single off Rodriguez to right, scoring Alcides Escobar and Jarrod Dyson.

World Series champion Kansas City has three consecutive one-run losses after winning 18 of its previous 22 games.

Tigers starter Anibal Sanchez gave up three unearned runs and five hits over five innings.

Cabrera’s fielding error opened the door for the Royals to score three runs in the third. Alex Gordon had a two-run single, while Kendrys Morales contributed a run-producing single.

Danny Duffy allowed four runs and nine hits in 5 2/3 innings and has allowed 18 hits and 11 runs over 10 2/3 innings in consecutive starts.

“I felt like I battled,” Duffy said. “We had a rough third inning there. They were kind of singling me to death. I did my best to try to keep my team in the game. It’s kind of been a rough couple of games for us.”

Tigers left-hander Justin Wilson gave up a run on three singles to Orlando, Cheslor Cuthbert and Eric Hosmer in the seventh, the only three batters he faced.

ROYALS PROMOTE FOUR

The Royals purchased the contract of INF Hunter Dozier, a 2013 first-round pick who hit 23 HRs with 75 RBI this season with Double-A Northwest Arkansas and Triple-A Omaha. They also recalled C Tony Cruz, IF-OF Whit Merrifield and OF Terrance Gore.

STRANGE POSITION

Erick Aybar started at third base for the Tigers. It was only his second career game there, with the other on May 30, 2007, while with the Angels against the Mariners. He did not have an assist or putout against the Royals.

TIGERS SUSPEND SAUPOLD

The Tigers suspended minor league RHP Warwick Saupold for five games after he was arrested on Aug. 28 and charged with assault for getting into a physical altercation with two Pittsburgh Pirates minor leaguers at a Toledo bar. Saupold made his big league debut with Detroit this season, going 1-1 with a 7.45 ERA in six relief appearances, but spent most of the season with Triple-A Toledo, where he went 7-2 with a 2.30 ERA in 18 games, including 11 starts.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Tigers: OF Cameron Maybin (left thumb contusion) has not played since Monday. … 3B Nick Castellanos (fractured fifth metacarpal of his left swing) took about 25 swings with a fungo off a tee. “He felt it a little bit today, swinging,” Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. “It buzzed him every once in a while, which is normal.”

Royals: RHP Wade Davis, who went on the disabled list July 31 with a right flexor strain, was activated. Manager Ned Yost said he would avoid using Davis in back-to-back games for a while. … OF Lorenzo Cain has not played since Tuesday because of a sore left wrist. … LHP Jason Vargas, who is rehabbing from 2015 elbow surgery, struck out 10 and walked none, while allowing two runs on five hits over 5 2/3 innings in a Thursday start for Triple-A Omaha against Round Rock.

UP NEXT

Tigers: RHP Michael Fulmer is 0-1 with a 1.98 ERA in two appearances against the Royals.

Royals: RHP Yordano Ventura is 6-0 with a 2.98 ERA in 10 games against the Tigers.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Brian McCann delivered a sacrifice fly in the 13th inning and Dellin Betances shut down the Kansas City Royals in the bottom half to give the New York Yankees a 5-4 victory Wednesday night.

Royals reliever Chris Young (3-9) gave up a single to Didi Gregorius and a double to Starlin Castro to lead off the decisive frame. Matt Strahm came in against McCann for a lefty-lefty matchup, and the New York designated hitter lofted a fly ball to left to score the go-ahead run.

Ben Heller (1-0) pitched a perfect 12th to earn his first major league win, while Betances wrapped up a winning series for the Yankees by working around a leadoff walk for his seventh save.

Castro hit a two-run homer for the Yankees. Kendrys Morales hit one for Kansas City.

The Royals appeared to have quickly erased the memories of their rain-delayed, 5-4 loss in 10 innings the previous night when Morales homered for the second straight game with two outs in the first.

Kansas City added another run off Luis Cessa in the second on an error by third baseman Chase Headley and a timely double by Alcides Escobar, then made it 4-0 when Eric Hosmer homered to left in the third.

Ian Kennedy was cruising along for Kansas City until the sixth, when Gregorius lofted a sacrifice fly to left field. Castro followed moments later with his two-run shot.

Kennedy’s night was done when he walked Aaron Hicks with one out in the sixth. Scott Alexander came in and gave up a single to Brett Gardner and Jacoby Ellsbury’s tying sacrifice fly to center.

Both teams had chances to push runs across before the 13th inning.

The Royals’ Raul Mondesi drew a leadoff walk in the seventh and Jarrod Dyson dropped a sacrifice bunt to get him to second base with only one out. But Mondesi got caught straying between second and third, and Cheslor Cuthbert promptly struck out to end the inning.

In the 11th, Salvador Perez walked and pinch-runner Billy Burns stole his way to third. He wound up stranded there when Paulo Orlando ripped a line drive right at Castro at second base.

The Yankees loaded the bases with one out in the 12th, but Gary Sanchez lined out to Cuthbert at third base and Mark Teixeira chopped a grounder to shortstop to end that threat.

YANKEES DEAL

The Yankees sent OF Ben Gamel, the MVP of the International League, to Seattle for minor league RHPs Jio Orozco and Juan De Paula on Wednesday. They also sent cash to Milwaukee for speedy OF Eric Young Jr., who manager Joe Girardi said could join the club when rosters expand later this week.

ROYALS MOVES

RHP Chien-Ming Wang was placed on the DL with biceps tendinitis after tossing two scoreless innings on Tuesday night. The Royals shored up their taxed bullpen by recalling LHP Scott Alexander and RHP Brooks Pounders from Triple-A Omaha and optioning INF Christian Colon to the same club.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Yankees: Hicks left the game after grounding out in the ninth, limping his way to the dugout with a right hamstring strain. Aaron Judge replaced him in the lineup.

Royals: CF Lorenzo Cain (sprained wrist) got the night off. He’s been playing in pain for about two weeks. “It’s been pretty sore,” manager Ned Yost said. “It’s not a thing that’s going to heal in a week.”

UP NEXT

The Yankees take Thursday off before sending RHP Chad Green to the mound to start a three-game set in Baltimore on Friday night. LHP Danny Duffy gets the call for the Royals when Detroit visits Friday night to open their three-game series at Kauffman Stadium.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Jacoby Ellsbury drove in the go-ahead run with two outs in the 10th inning, and the New York Yankees hung tough after blowing a four-run lead for a 5-4 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night.

Dellin Betances (3-4) tossed two scoreless innings of relief for New York before Ben Heller loaded the bases with one out in the 10th. Chasen Shreve entered the game and calmly struck out Kendrys Morales and got Salvador Perez to fly out, picking up his first career major league save.

Brian McCann and Chase Headley started the Yankees’ go-ahead rally with singles off Joakim Soria (4-6), who recovered to strike out Aaron Judge and Tyler Austin. But after Soria walked Brett Gardner to load the bases, Ellsbury lined a single off Soria’s leg for his fourth hit of the game.

Judge hit a two-run homer for the Yankees, while Ellsbury finished with two RBI.

Morales went deep for the Royals to spur their comeback, then provided the tying sacrifice fly in the eighth inning. Jarrod Dyson and Lorenzo Cain also drove in runs for Kansas City.

The Yankees built a 4-0 lead off Edinson Volquez by the third inning, only to watch it slowly slip away around a 59-minute rain delay that saturated the soggy turf at Kauffman Stadium.

In fact, just about all that could slow down the Yankees’ Masahiro Tanaka was the rain.

The right-hander mowed through the first eight batters he faced, extending the streak of 14 2/3 scoreless innings he had twirled in his last two starts. Tanaka didn’t allow a hit until a single by Raul Mondesi, who later scored on Dyson’s triple off the top of the wall.

Tanaka’s only other mistake came on Morales’ homer in the fourth inning.

The rain began falling and the tarp came out after the fifth inning, and the delay was long enough to end Tanaka’s night. He allowed two runs and four hits while striking out four without a walk.

The Royals got within 4-3 in the sixth inning when Cain slapped an RBI double off Adam Warren, then they coaxed across the tying run in the eighth against Tyler Clippard and Betances.

Clippard walked Cain to start the inning. Cain promptly stole second off Betances, and the throw from catcher Gary Sanchez squirted into the outfield, allowing Cain to reach third. He trotted home to knot the game 4-all when Morales lofted a sacrifice fly to center.

ROSTER MOVES

The Yankees optioned RHP Kirby Yates to rookie-level Pulaski and recalled Shreve from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Shreve joined the Yankees for the fourth time this season.

TRADE COMPLETE

The Pirates sent OF Tito Polo and LHP Stephen Tarpley to the Yankees to complete their Aug. 1 deal for RHP Ivan Nova. Polo hit .289 with 16 homers between Class-A Bradenton and West Virginia, and Tarpley was 6-4 in 20 starts with Bradenton.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Yankees: 1B Mark Teixeira sat again with pain in his neck, manager Joe Girardi said. “From a health standpoint I have to watch him closely, but he’s feeling better today than he was yesterday.”

Royals: RHP Wade Davis was due to make a rehab appearance at Triple-A Omaha after Monday night’s game was rained out. Davis has been sidelined with a flexor strain.

UP NEXT

RHP Luis Cessa, the second Yankees pitcher since 2004 to win his first two career starts, returns to the mound for New York. RHP Ian Kennedy tries for his fourth straight win for the Royals.

— Associated Press —

BOSTON (AP) — Raul Mondesi hit a bases-loaded triple and Eric Hosmer added a two-run single during an eight-run sixth inning, lifting the surging Kansas City Royals to a 10-4 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Sunday night.

Salvador Perez hit his third solo homer in two games for Kansas City, which took two of three at Fenway Park and got its 17th win in 21 games.

David Ortiz hit his 534th career homer, a solo shot, for the Red Sox, tying Jimmie Foxx for 18th on the career list. Boston has lost four of five.

Matt Strahm (2-0) pitched 2 2/3 innings of hitless relief for the win.

Eduardo Rodriguez (2-6) gave up five runs in 5 1/3 innings before the bullpen allowed five more in the sixth.

The Royals chased Rodriguez and regained the lead in the sixth after the Red Sox moved ahead in the fifth.

Alcides Escobar had an RBI single before Mondesi rocked his triple to the outfield-wall triangle in center. Cheslor Cuthbert had a run-scoring fielder’s choice grounder before Lorenzo Cain added an RBI single.

Robbie Ross Jr. relieved and gave up Hosmer’s two-run single off the Green Monster before getting the final two outs.

Boston capitalized on center fielder Paulo Orlando’s error to score three times off starter Yordano Ventura in the fifth. Chris Young singled and Orlando dropped Sandy Leon’s fly at the track, putting runners on second and third before a walk.

Brock Holt drove in the first run with a groundout before Xander Bogaerts’ two-run single.

Ventura gave up four runs — three earned — in 4 1/3 innings.

Ortiz’s 31st homer went into the bleachers behind Boston’s bullpen in the fourth.

Perez homered off a billboard above the Green Monster.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: C Perez took a foul ball in the chin area after it bounced in the dirt and up under his mask, but stayed in the game.

Red Sox: RH reliever Koji Uehara (strained chest muscle) is still expected to throw a bullpen session Monday.

FAMILY MATTER

Red Sox 2B Dustin Pedroia left the team after a death in the family. He’s expected back after Monday’s game starts following the services, so he won’t be on the bereavement list that requires three games missed.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Dillon Gee (5-7, 4.55 ERA) is set to start Monday against New York RHP Michael Pineda (6-10, 5.02) when they open a three-game series at home against the Yankees.

Red Sox: RHP Rick Porcello (17-3, 3.23) looks to become the first Red Sox pitcher in 70 years to open a season 13-0 in Fenway Park on Monday against the Rays. RHP Matt Andriese (6-5, 3.71) is set to start for Tampa Bay.

— Associated Press —

BOSTON (AP) — Dustin Pedroia came to the plate in the eighth inning knowing he had some sort of special streak going.

He just wasn’t exactly sure how historic it was.

Pedroia had four hits to extend his streak to 11 straight at-bats before bouncing into a double play with a chance to tie the major-league record, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 8-3 on Saturday night.

“I heard something,” said Pedroia, the 2008 AL MVP. “I didn’t know what it was. I was going to the bathroom and heard them say it on TV.”

Pedroia’s streak, which stretched over three games, ended in the eighth inning. The big league mark of hits in 12 straight official at-bats is shared by Walt Dropo for Detroit in 1952, Pinky Higgins of the Red Sox in 1938 and Johnny Kling of the Cubs in 1902.

“Whenever your name is up there with guys in black and white photos, it’s pretty special,” winning pitcher David Price said. “He’s a gamer. He’s a very special teammate. Everybody on this team cherishes what he brings to his team each and every day.”

Xander Bogaerts homered and drove in three runs, and Mookie Betts and Hanley Ramirez hit consecutive homers for Boston, which snapped a three-game losing streak with its 11th win in 16 games.

Price (13-8) won his fourth straight start, giving up two runs in six innings to lower his ERA to 3.97, the lowest it’s been since after his first start of the season.

Danny Duffy (11-2) gave up three homers and seven runs in five innings, halting a personal 10-game winning streak.

Salvador Perez hit two solo homers for the Royals, who lost for just the fourth time 20 games.

Even Royals manager Ned Yost could appreciate the run Pedroia was on.

“He’s been hotter than a firecracker, for sure,” he said. “I mean 4 for 4 last night, 4 for 5 tonight. He had a real hot streak and what’s amazing to me is he keeps his bat in the zone for so long he can handle so many pitches. Just a really good hitter. I’ve always thought that about him though.”

Duffy had allowed two or fewer runs in five straight starts — and six of seven — before Boston took care of that string with two each in the first and second innings.

Two batters in, the Red Sox jumped ahead 2-0 on Bogaerts’ 16th homer, a drive that completely left Fenway Park over the Green Monster after Pedroia singled.

In the bottom of the second after the Royals had tied it, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Pedroia had consecutive RBI doubles, pushing Boston in front 4-2.

Perez homered and Alcides Escobar had an RBI double in the top of the inning.

Pedroia collected his 10th consecutive hit with a run-scoring single to make it 5-2 in the fourth. His 11th was a ground single to center in the sixth. He then bounced into the double play in the eighth.

Betts hit his 29th, a solo shot, in the fifth and Ramirez followed with his two pitches later to nearly the same spot, two rows into the Monster seats about three fans apart. After watching Ramirez’s drive land in the seats, Duffy just smiled in disbelief as he waited for a new ball from home plate umpire Adrian Johnson.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: RHP Wade Davis (flexor strain), LHP Jason Vargas (recovering from Tommy John surgery) and RHP Kris Medlen (right rotator cuff inflammation) were all expected to pitch for Triple-A Omaha on Saturday.

Red Sox: Manager John Farrell said RHP Koji Uehara (strained chest muscle) threw 53 pitches with “good intensity” in a bullpen session on Friday and he’s expected to throw again Monday. … C Ryan Hanigan (left ankle tendinitis) started a rehab assignment with Double-A Portland on Saturday.

YES, 2K

David Ortiz played his 2,000 game as a DH (1721 for Boston, 279 Minnesota), most ever in the big leagues. Harold Baines (1980-2001) is next with 1,643.

NICE GRAB

A fan in the upper deck reached over the railing with his glove a foot or so and grabbed a foul ball behind home plate.

UP NEXT

Royals: RHP Yordano Ventura (9-9, 4.27 ERA) is set to start the series finale on Sunday night. He’s 3-0 with a 2.03 ERA in six starts this month.

Red Sox: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (2-5, 5.11) is expected to start for the first time since leaving his Aug. 16 start with tightness in his left hamstring. The lefty was scratched the night before his scheduled start last Sunday.

— Associated Press —

BOSTON (AP) — August continues to be kind to the Kansas City Royals.

Eric Hosmer and Alex Gordon homered, and Ian Kennedy allowed one run through five innings as the Kansas City Royals continued their monthlong hot streak with a 6-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Friday night.

Kansas City has won 11 of its last 12 games and is 18-6 in August.

Hosmer homered for the second time this season off Red Sox knuckleballer Steven Wright (13-6), who took the loss in his first game back off the disabled list with a right shoulder strain, giving up five runs and seven hits.

“Honestly, you just have to swing hard and hope the ball doesn’t break. But if it does, it breaks into your bat,” Hosmer said.

Kennedy (9-9) had a chance set a club record by allowing one or fewer runs in six straight outings of at least six innings. But he left with a runner on after 5 1/3 innings and wound up charged for two earned runs in the game. He finished with nine strikeouts.

Kelvin Herrera earned his 10th save.

Lorenzo Cain added a solo homer in the eighth inning.

Wright lost despite going at least six innings for the 10th time in 15 starts. Before Friday he had not allowed more than one home run in any of his previous 26 starts, which was the fourth-longest active streak in the majors. It also had been the longest by a Red Sox pitcher since Pedro Martinez did it over 44 starts.

“I had a little bit of a feeling with Steven Wright being on the DL and not pitching, that knuckleball is a feel pitch,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “My thought was `Maybe it’s going to take him an inning or two to settle in.’ I was right.”

Mookie Betts had five hits and two RBI for the Red Sox. Dustin Pedroia added four hits and an RBI.

“That’s just how it goes sometimes,” Betts said. “Sometimes we score the ones we’re not expecting and then when we you need to score, sometimes it just doesn’t happen.”

The Royals jumped on Wright at the outset, taking a 5-0 lead in the first inning on a three-run shot by Hosmer, followed quickly by a two-run blast by Gordon.

Boston had three hits and got one run back in its half of first. It had a chance to add more after loading the bases with one out, but the potential rally stalled when Sandy Leon and Jackie Bradley, Jr. both struck out.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: RHP Wade Davis (right flexor strain) is expected to throw for Triple-A Omaha on Saturday, and then possibly again on Monday. Yost said he doesn’t anticipate him returning before Sept. 1.

Red Sox: Rookie LF Andrew Benintendi went through another series of tests Friday which reaffirmed the original diagnosis of no structural damage to his sprained left knee. He was hurt during Boston’s loss to the Rays Wednesday night. Benintendi was walking around the clubhouse with no brace Friday. “Obviously it’s something you don’t plan on,” he said. “It’s unfortunate that it happened and I’m just going to try to get as healthy as possible as quickly as I can.” … RHP Koji Uehara, who has been on the DL since July 20 with right pectoral sprain, threw a bullpen session Friday.

STREAK ENDS

Kansas City’s bullpen extended its scoreless streak to 41 1/3 innings pitching before allowing a run in the ninth inning. It was the longest streak in the majors since the Kansas City A’s went 44 innings in 1966.

OLYMPIC HOMECOMING

Needham, Massachusetts native and Olympic medalist Aly Raisman began her homecoming tour Friday by throwing out the first pitch before the game.

Raisman won her second Olympic gold medal as a member of the U.S. women’s gymnastics team in Rio, as well as two silver medals in the women’s individual all-around and floor exercise.

Before tossing her pitch, Raisman took off the medals she was wearing and let David Ortiz wear them while he caught for her.

UP NEXT

Royals: LHP Danny Duffy (11-1, 2.66 ERA) will make his 20th start of the season and 100th of his career on Saturday. He earned his 10th straight win in Kansas City’s 2-1 win over Minnesota on Sunday, holding the Twins to one run and eight hits. His next strikeout will be the 500th of his career.

Red Sox: LHP David Price (12-8, 4.00) leads the majors with nine starts of at least eight innings this season. His 2.01 career ERA against the Royals is the third-lowest among active pitchers.

— Associated Press —