BOSTON -- Kansas City third baseman Mike Moustakas continued his march toward franchise history on Friday night against the Red Sox at Fenway Park, becoming the fastest Royals player to get to 30 home runs in a season.
Moustakas blasted a Rick Porcello fastball on a 3-2 count around Pesky's Pole in right field, a three-run shot that helped the Royals to their ninth straight win, 4-2. Moustakas won a nine-pitch duel before lining a 372-foot home run.
"Porcello was throwing the ball good," Moustakas said. "He's commanding the ball good, just off the plate. I couldn't barrel anything up on him. Finally, I got one a little more over the middle and I was able to get it.
"Honestly, I was just trying to slap something over to left field, get on base. I just got my hands through the zone and got it out of the yard. He threw a couple fastballs on the inner half that I was just able to get a piece of. I was just trying to get it in play. I got some good wood on it."
Added Royals manager Ned Yost, "I always feel good about Moose in that situation. The way we're swinging the bats, I feel good about anyone up there."

Indeed, during the nine-game winning streak, the Royals have out-homered their opponents, 20-2.
Moustakas has been right in the middle of that surge. His homer came in his 364th at-bat of the season, besting Gary Gaetti, who reached the 30-homer plateau in 410 at-bats for Kansas City in 1995.
"Gary Gaetti? Cool. I know him," Moustakas said.
Moustakas also became the 11th player in Royals history to hit 30 or more home runs -- it is the 12th time a Royal has reached 30 or more in a season (Danny Tartabull accomplished the feat in 1987 and '91).
The bigger individual prize is certainly within reach: Steve Balboni's club record of 36 home runs in a season set in 1985.
But Moustakas isn't concerning himself with the historical achievements quite yet.
"I guess it's more meaningful because it came in a win against a great team," Moustakas said. "We know we're on a run and we're all clicking at the same time. We're a second-half team and we always have been. We can be dangerous."