KANSAS CITY -- Eric Hosmer smashed a two-run homer, and Jarrod Dyson tripled and scored the go-ahead run to help the Royals secure a 3-2 win over the Red Sox on Wednesday in the opener of a day-night doubleheader at Kauffman Stadium.
Royals starter Ian Kennedy gave up two runs and six hits over 5 2/3 innings while striking out nine. The bullpen took over from there and shut down the Red Sox, with closer Wade Davis recording his ninth save. Kennedy was pulled after 116 pitches.
"There were a lot of foul balls there," Kennedy said. "They put really good at-bats together, especially the second time through. Good offense."
Added Royals manager Ned Yost, "That's a tough lineup over there. They really battle you. They foul off pitches and make you work … but I thought he was really, really good for us."
Chris Young hit his first homer as a Red Sox. Steven Wright went eight solid innings, giving up four hits and three runs. He walked one and struck out five.
Jackie Bradley Jr. extended his hitting streak to 23 games -- the longest in the Majors this season -- with a single to right against Davis in the ninth.

Boston's offense has cooled off in the first two games of this series after scoring 73 runs in last week's seven-game homestand.
"They've done a good job of not allowing us to bunch some hits," Sox manager John Farrell said. "They've thrown strikes. They've been to the edge. They've stayed out of the middle of the plate. Still, we've shown the ability to use the whole field at times and that might not be as prevalent here today."
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
That's what speed (and arm) do: Dyson has lost playing time lately to the red-hot Paulo Orlando. But Dyson got a start in Game 1 and made the most of it. Dyson tripled and scored the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly by Lorenzo Cain in the sixth. Then, Dyson thwarted a Red Sox rally in the eighth when he nailed Xander Bogaerts trying to go first to third on a single to right by David Ortiz. More >

The Royals thwarted another rally in the fifth with great defense. With the potential tying run on second and two out, Bogaerts hit a one-hop smash toward left field that shortstop Alcides Escobar snared with a full-out dive. Escobar rose to one knee and threw out Bogaerts to save a run and end the threat. More >

Royals left-hander Brian Flynn was in line for his first Major League victory after Dyson scored the go-ahead run. And Flynn knew it.

"Oh, yeah," Flynn said, smiling. "I was probably cheering a little harder than everyone else for him to score. I'm hoping to get the ball and the lineup card for this one. It's special."
Young gives Sox a jolt: The Red Sox acquired Young because of his prowess against lefty pitchers. But Farrell gave him a start against Kennedy, a righty, in Game 1, and the outfielder made it pay off when he belted a game-tying homer to left leading off the fifth. Young's first homer for the Sox traveled 401 feet from the plate, according to Statcast™.

Land of Hoz: Hosmer, who mashed a home run on Tuesday night, belted a Wright pitch in the first that set a Statcast™ record for the season. Hosmer's homer came off a 74.5 mph pitch and exited at 111.3 mph, making it the largest pitch velocity differential in Major League Baseball this season at plus 37.8. It was Hosmer's eighth homer of the season.
Red Sox rallies short-circuited: After pushing across a run with three straight hits to open the fourth, Boston had runners at the corners with none out and didn't score again in the inning. In the eighth, the Sox had two on with one out, only to have Bogaerts get thrown out at third on the throw by Dyson. More >
"He made a perfect throw," Bogaerts said. "Going in there, I thought I had it. Looking at the video, he threw it perfect. A little to the right or left and I'm there, and then [Travis] Shaw hits a sacrifice fly and we're tied."
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
In 17 of Wright's 19 career starts, he has held opponents to three earned runs or fewer.
WHAT'S NEXT
Red Sox: Lefty David Price will pitch the nightcap of the day-night doubleheader on Wednesday at 8:15 p.m. ET. Price is coming off one of his best starts with the Red Sox, as he struck out 12 over 6 2/3 innings against the Astros.
Royals: Right-hander Edinson Volquez (4-3, 3.51 ERA) will get the start in Game 2 of the doubleheader at 7:15 p.m. CT. He gave up one run over seven innings in his previous start against the Braves.
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