Boston’s 6-5 loss to the Kansas City Royals can either be the breaking point of the season where everything falls apart or it can be the part of the season where the Boston Red Sox (56-38) wake up and realize that the New York Yankees have trimmed a double digit deficit in the standings to seven games and go on a big winning streak.
With the loss Boston is 20-21 since June 1st and this loss was just as sour as all the rest as Boston had a 4-2 lead, but let it slip away.
Julian Tavarez suffered the loss only pitching for 4 2/3 innings, giving up nine hits, six runs, four earned, no walks, and three strikeouts.
Tavarez had a two run lead in the top of the fifth, but with an unfortunate error by third baseman Mike Lowell that made the inning even worse as Lowell botched a chance at a possible double play ball.
Mark Grudzielanek doubled to deep left making it 4-3 and then the Lowell error put runners on first and third and it ended up haunting them as Billy Butler doubled to deep center scoring Mark Teahan who reached on the Lowell error and Grudzielanek from third base giving the Royals their second lead of the game at 5-3.
Rookie third baseman Alex Gordon singled to center field scoring Butler giving the Royals a 6-4 lead.
Butler, Kansas City’s first baseman, has 15 RBI’s in his last 11 games for the Royals. On the season Butler has 21 RBI’s for the ball club.
Manny Ramirez homered to deep center field in the bottom of the fifth just into the front row of the seats closing the gap to a 6-5 game, but Boston did not push across any more runs as the Royals bullpen of David Riske (H), Jimmy Gobble (H), Joakim Soria (H), and closer Octavio Dotel (S) only allowed three hits and no runs to wrap up the win and the game for Royals starter Odaliz Perez.
Perez picked up his fifth win of the season throwing five innings, giving up seven hits, five runs, two walks, two strikeouts, and the one homerun to Ramirez.
Boston had a chance in the bottom of the eighth to tie it as Coco Crisp just missed a homerun to right field hitting the low wall to the right of the Royals bullpen and legged it out for a triple with two outs. Julio Lugo failed to bring Crisp home as he flew out to center fielder David Dejesus to end the inning.
