Boston, MA (Sports Network) - J.D. Drew and Mike Lowell each hit a grand slam as the Boston Red Sox completed a four-game sweep of the Kansas City Royals with an 11-8 win at Fenway Park.
Lowell finished 3-for-4 and scored three times for the Red Sox, who finished off a perfect 7-0 homestand. Drew, Kevin Youkilis and Julio Lugo each collected a pair of hits as every member of the Boston starting lineup collected at least one hit.
"We just want to win," said Red Sox manager Terry Francona. "I think we've used just about everybody on our roster, which is always good. Everybody feels like they're doing something to help us."
Daisuke Matsuzaka (8-0) maintained his perfect record despite allowing three runs on six hits and six walks in 5 2/3 innings, striking out seven. Jonathan Papelbon worked a rocky ninth inning for his 14th save.
Miguel Olivo went 3-for-5 with a homer, a pair of doubles and a career-high tying five runs batted in for the Royals, losers in four straight and five of their last six. Jose Guillen went 4-for-5 with a double, a homer and three RBI.
Brian Bannister (4-6) was rocked for seven runs on 12 hits in 5 1/3 frames, while Jimmy Gobble was tagged for four runs on two hits in two-thirds of an inning of relief.
Leading 5-3 and with Matsuzaka already out of the game after struggling with his control, the Red Sox seemingly put the outcome out of doubt with a six-run sixth.
Singles by Drew and Kevin Cash followed by a sacrifice fly from Lugo plated a run and chased Bannister in favor of Gobble. Jacoby Ellsbury worked a walk, then Dustin Pedroia smashed a double off the wall in left to score Cash. One out later, Manny Ramirez was intentionally walked to load the bases and Lowell blew the game wide open, yanking an 0-1 cutter that slammed off a sign on top of the Green Monster.
Guillen led off the seventh with a homer, and Olivo added an RBI double later in the frame.
The Royals continued the comeback in the eighth, as Alex Gordon and Guillen each picked up one-out infield singles, and after a Mark Teahen lineout, Olivo drilled a 1-0 pitch from David Aardsma into the seats atop the Green Monster to pull the Royals within 11-8. But, Aardsma fanned Ross Gload to escape the inning.
Papelbon allowed two-out singles to David DeJesus and pinch-hitter Billy Butler in the ninth, but Papelbon got Gordon to fly out to left to finish the sweep.
Matsuzaka's control problems allowed the Royals to push a two-out run across in the first. Gordon worked a walk, and after a wild pitch moved him to second, Guillen lined a single to right to put Kansas City in front.
The Red Sox charged in front in the home half of the second, piecing together a threat when singles by Ramirez, Lowell and Youkilis loaded the bases with nobody out. Drew then unloaded on a 2-2 fastball from Bannister and golfed it over the Green Monster in left for a grand slam and a 4-1 Boston lead.
"He left a pitch up over the plate to J.D. Drew," said Royals manager Trey Hillman. "Trying to sneak a fastball by him. It wasn't a good pitch selection and it was a bad location."
Boston stretched the lead to four in the third, as Lowell sliced a two-out ground-rule double to right and Youkilis followed with an RBI single to center.
Wildness cost Matsuzaka a run in the fifth, as he issued a leadoff walk to Gordon and sent him to second on a wild pitch before Guillen stroked an RBI double to left-center to bring K.C. within three. One out later, Olivo ripped a double to left that plated Teahen before Matsuzaka recovered with a pair of strikeouts to avoid greater damage.
Seattle, WA (Sports Network) - The Seattle Mariners Wednesday named Rick Adair pitching coach and John Wetteland bullpen coach. Full Story...
What Is The Score | WhatistheScore.com
Design by SEOSolutions.co.cr
All Rights Reserved ©2006-2007
WITS - WhatIsTheScore.com is a Sports Content Website offering Real Time Sports Information such as Live Score, Free Live Odds, Sports News, Sports Events, Stats, Standings, Sports Articles and more in all Major Sports around the World – WhatIsTheScore.com