BATTER OF THE GAME: Salvador Perez
He only made good contact once all night, but Salvador Perez made it worth it. A three-run jack in the sixth inning put the Royals up 5-0 and chased Red Sox starter Matt Barnes from the game.
STARTERS REPORT: Matt Barnes pitched a relatively solid game through five innings, but that sixth inning did him in. Barnes allowed a couple runs in the first inning - though he didn't have help from Hanley Ramirez in left field - before shutting down the Royals from the second inning through the fifth inning. But he put two men on and allowed a home run, and that was it for him.
Yordana Ventura gave the Royals exactly what they needed after dropping the first two games to the Sox and having their ace, Johnny Cueto, get hit around hard Friday night. Ventura lasted 6.0 innings, allowing just one run on six hits and one walk with six strikeouts
BIG PLAY: It's got to be Salvador Perez's home run. It was still anybody's game going into the sixth, with the Royals leading, 2-0. But Perez ended that with one swing of the bat, turning it into a 5-0 lead. With the way the Sox were playing, that was more than enough run support.
WHAT I LIKED: Jackie Bradley Jr.'s catch in right field in the seventh inning was yet another highlight-reel catch to add to his growing resume. Bradley leaped against the wall in foul territory just in front of Pesky's Pole and made the catch. The song "I Believe I Can Fly" played through the Fenway speakers after that one. Every game it seems Bradley makes an amazing grab. He came on for Hanley Ramirez Friday night and made a diving catch in right field. The game before that he made an over-the-shoulder catch going straight back in center field. It doesn't matter where this guy plays in the outfield, he's always making great catches.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: It's too bad this team couldn't keep the momentum going and make it five in a row. It's hard to believe a roster with so much talent hasn't been able to string together five consecutive victories at any point in the season.
WHAT'S NEXT: The Sox will wrap up the season series with the Royals Sunday afternoon (1:35) when they send another one of their rookies to the mound in Eduardo Rodriguez (7-5, 4.48 ERA). The Royals will counter with Edinson Volquez (11-7, 3.20 ERA).