BOSTON – For a second straight start, Ranger Suarez was in near-complete control of things, working another seven strong innings to put his club in position for a win.
Last Friday in Baltimore, the southpaw tossed seven scoreless frames en route to his sixth win of the season.
Another seven-inning show on Saturday saw Suarez give up just one run and five hits as he struck out eight batters in a 5-1 Red Sox victory over the Royals at Fenway Park.
All in all, the Sox starter had just one pitch truly get away from him – an inside slider that Carter Jensen launched a Statcast-projected 386 feet for a solo home run in the sixth inning to tie the game at 1-1.
The first time through the Red Sox lineup, Royals starter Randy Dobnak was perfect, but Roman Anthony got the Boston bats in motion with a leadoff single in the fourth inning. He would come around to score from second base when Adley Rutschman ripped a one-out single back up the box.
Wilyer Abreu would break the 1-1 tie in the bottom of the sixth with a two-out double that plated Mickey Gasper and Rutschman, and Caleb Durbin added an RBI single off the left-field wall to score Nick Sogard in the seventh.
After striking out three in his seventh and final inning of work, the Fenway faithful provided Suarez with the appropriate ovation, increasing in volume as the hurler neared the dugout.
It was the fourth time in his last six starts that Suarez allowed one run or fewer, and he improved to 7-4 on the year, lowering his ERA to 3.33.
The win also halted a three-game losing streak for the Sox, who inched closer toward clinching a Wild Card spot in the postseason.