Jackie Bradley Jr. and Mookie Betts homered to back a strong start by David Price, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 5-2 on Wednesday night to salvage a split of their doubleheader.
The Royals won the opener 3-2 behind a strong performance by Ian Kennedy and their bullpen.
It was Price (6-1) who shined in the nightcap, allowing two runs over 7 innings. Craig Kimbrel handled a scoreless ninth for his 11th save.
Bradley’s hit streak is now at 24 games.
The Red Sox were clinging to a 2-1 lead when they loaded the bases off Edinson Volquez (4-4) with two outs in the sixth inning. Christian Vazquez dribbled a single up the middle to score two runs, giving the Red Sox plenty of cushion the way their left-hander was pitching.
Volquez left after the sixth. He allowed four runs, seven hits and four walks.
“We kept coming at guys. We kept digging,” Red Sox Manager John Farrell said. “We kept fighting, trying to create some opportunities, right through the last pitch.”
Eric Hosmer homered for the second straight day, the Royals turned their first three hits off Boston’s Steven Wright into runs, and Kansas City held off the Red Sox 3-2 in Game 1.
Hosmer followed a single by Alcides Escobar with a homer in the first inning, and Lorenzo Cain added a sacrifice fly following a triple by Jarrod Dyson in the sixth for the Royals’ only offense.
Kennedy allowed two runs on six hits and a walk over 5 innings, striking out nine, before Brian Flynn – who earned his first career win – and Luke Hochevar combined to strike out four consecutive batters.
Steven Wright (3-4) surrendered five hits without a walk in a complete game for Boston.