Sonny Gray controlled the strike zone from the first pitch, and the Red Sox rode his precision to a 3-1 victory over Kansas City at Kauffman Stadium on Sunday.
Gray (5-1) struck out nine batters over six innings, allowing one run on five hits and one walk. The right-hander threw 80 pitches, carrying a 2.93 ERA into his next start. Aroldis Chapman closed with a perfect ninth inning for his 11th save.
Willson Contreras broke the scoreless tie in the sixth inning with a two-run homer to left center, a 435-foot blast that scored Mickey Gasper. Jarren Duran added an insurance run in the seventh with a sacrifice fly that brought home Connor Wong.
Seth Lugo (1-4) matched Gray through five innings but surrendered the decisive runs in the sixth. The Kansas City starter allowed two runs on five hits over six innings with five strikeouts. Jac Caglianone doubled home Carter Jensen in the seventh for the Royals' only run.
Boston improved to 19-27 despite snapping a one-game losing streak. Kansas City fell to 20-27 after winning their previous game. Contreras sits six hits away from 1,000 career hits.