KANSAS CITY, Mo. — In a span of four batters, the Kansas City Royals went from tied, to winning, to tacking on breathing room and causing Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora to lose his temper and earn an ejection.
That’s how fast the Royals swung the game and put the heat squarely on their guests in the pivotal seventh inning of a 7-3 win in front of an announced 18,970 in the first game of a four-game set at Kauffman Stadium on Thursday night, the first game of an 11-game homestand for the Royals.
The game also doubled as former Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer’s return to KC as well as his Boston Red Sox debut.
Hosmer had a great view as things unfolded. The Red Sox turned to left-handed reliever Darwinzon Hernandez to face Royals left-handed hitters Nicky Lopez and rookie MJ Melendez. Lopez’s leadoff walk initially put things in motion. Then Melendez singled to put runners on first and third for Bobby Witt Jr.
Witt lined a single past the outstretched arm of Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts deep in the hole, and Lopez scored the go-ahead run.
Then things got confusing when Salvador Perez crushed an absolute laser beam at 110 mph down the left field line where it appeared to hit the top of the wall and ricochet towards left-center field.
The umpires ruled it a home run, a three-run blast and the 15th of the season for Perez. The ball hit a piece of padding between the bottom of the foul pole and the top of the padded outfield wall.
Upon review, the home run stood and Cora came onto the field to voice his objections to home plate umpire and crew chief Bill Welke until Welke tossed him out of the game.
The three-run homer gave the Royals a 7-3 lead and closed the scoring.
Royals starting pitcher Kris Bubic turned in his fourth consecutive quality start, bouncing back from a rocky first inning. However, Bubic did not factor into the decision.
