KANSAS CITY — For the first two games of their series with the Kansas City City Royals, the Red Sox largely contained Bobby Witt Jr., who began the week as the hottest hitter in the game.
In the series finale Wednesday, however, either their luck or careful game-planning — or both — came to a grinding halt.
Witt homered in his first plate appearance in the first, added a two-run double to chase Kutter Crawford in the fourth, and for good measure, added another solo shot in the seventh. In all, the three-hit, three-run, four-RBI performance proved entirely too much for the Red Sox, who saw their chance of a sweep slip away with an 8-4 loss.
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The defeat snapped a modest three-game win streak for Boston, which slipped to a game and a half back of Kansas City for the AL’s third wild card spot.
Ahead 4-2 on the strength of a couple of homers from his teammates, Crawford came undone in the fourth.
He invited trouble with his third walk of the night and second lead walk in four inning when he issued a free pass to MJ Melendez. After a one-out single from Maikel Garcia, Crawford let loose a wild pitch, allowing Melendez to score from third as Garcia moved into scoring position. When got Kyle Isbel on a liner to left, he was an out away from getting out of the mess he had helped to create.
But a walk to Michael Massey kept the inning going and Witt Jr. followed with a double into the right field corner, scoring two.
That was all for Crawford, but things didn’t get any better as Brennan Bernardino entered and on his second pitch, was tagged for a two-run homer to right by Vinnie Pasquantino.
Danny Jansen, in the lineup to give the Red Sox another righthanded bat, got a fastball middle-in and clubbed it to left for his seventh homer of the season and first as a member of the Red Sox, upping the lead to 4-3.
Romy Gonzalez got the start at second for the Red Sox and in his second plate appearance, drilled a shot into the left field seats with Nick Sogard (walk) and Ceddanne Rafaela (fielder’s choice) aboard.
A followed up double by Rafael Devers into the left field corner was then wasted when Ragans fanned Connor Wong to end the inning.
It didn’t take long for the long ball to be an issue for Crawford. The righty had given up 12 homers in his previous three starts combined, and on his seventh pitch of the night, was taken out by Witt Jr., who yanked a pitch down the left field line for a quick 1-0 lead.
In the second, walks — not homers — proved Crawford’s undoing. He issued one to Melendez to start the inning, and after two were out, walked No. 9 hitter Kyle Isbel. Michael Massey then pushed a single into right, scoring Melendez. Crawford escaped further damage when he retired Witt Jr. on a flyout to center, but the relief was temporary.
Heading home
Following a off day on the schedule Thursday, the Red Sox will start a six-game homestand Friday, hosting Houston for three games, followed by three more with Texas.
The Red Sox’ rotation has been scrambled with the announcement that Nick Pivetta will be skipped in his next turn, so the probable pitchers remain up in the air.
