BOSTON - What appeared to a be another win for the Red Sox over the Kansas City Royals got very ugly at the end.
Leading 6-4 in the top of the ninth, Red Sox closer Junichi Tazawa was shelled for six hits and a walk as the Royals scored four times to overtake the Red Sox, 8-6, and gain a split of the four-game series.
Tazawa, who has pitched poorly in the second half, seemed to escape some trouble when Omar Infante was thrown out at the plate trying to score on a leadoff inside-the-park homer, then got a loud out on a hard-hit liner to short.
But Eric Hosmer singled home two runs and Mike Moustakas doubled home two more with the bases loaded to cap the rally and give the Royals the comeback victory.
The Red Sox had rallied for two runs in the sixth and two more in the seventh to claim a lead that didn't last.
Jackie Bradley Jr. clubbed three hits, including two run-scoring doubles - one produced the first Red Sox run of the afternoon and the second resulted in a go-ahead run in the seventh.
Pablo Sandoval had two hits and an RBI for the Sox, while Josh Rutledge, David Ortiz and Ryan Hanigan all knocked in a run apiece.
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The Sox made three errors in the field, resulting in two unearned runs for the Royals.
Starter Eduardo Rodriguez went six innings and allowed four runs, though just two earned.