The game was decided in one explosive inning. Boston turned a narrow 3-1 lead into a commanding 7-1 victory with four ninth-inning runs, capped by Jarren Duran's three-run homer that settled the outcome at Kauffman Stadium.
Duran went 2-for-3 with 3 RBI and 2 walks, carrying a .189 average with 5 home runs and 22 RBI this season. Willson Contreras added 3 RBI on a 2-for-5 night, driving in runs with timely hits in the first and ninth innings. Isiah Kiner-Falefa collected three hits in four plate appearances.
The scoring began early as Contreras singled to left in the first inning, bringing Duran home to give Boston a 1-0 lead. Kansas City answered immediately when Lane Thomas doubled to right, scoring Bobby Witt and tying the game 1-1. Caleb Durbin's RBI single in the second inning put Boston ahead 2-1, a lead they would not relinquish. The Red Sox added an insurance run in the eighth when Rafaela scored on Contreras's groundout, then broke the game open in the ninth. Duran's three-run blast to right field scored Kiner-Falefa and Marcelo Mayer, before Contreras delivered his second RBI single of the night.
Bailey Falter absorbed his first loss of the season, allowing 2 runs on 4 hits over 2 innings with 3 walks. His ERA: 9.82. Garrett Whitlock earned the win with a scoreless inning of relief, improving to 3-1 with a 2.79 ERA.
Boston snapped a losing streak to improve to 20-27, while Kansas City fell to 20-28. Contreras sits 4 hits away from 1,000 career hits.