Royals Win 7th Straight over Red Sox in 12th Inning

The Kansas City Royals are pursuing their eighth consecutive win as they face the Boston Red Sox, bolstered by strong pitching performances including Cole Ragans, a 2024 AL Cy Young finalist who has been particularly effective against Boston despite some inconsistency this season. In their recent series opener, the Royals secured a 2-1 victory in 12 innings, highlighted by seven scoreless innings from Michael Lorenzen and a clutch RBI single by Freddy Fermin in the 12th inning. Boston's Garrett Crochet, despite some control issues, has been relatively solid, allowing limited runs and maintaining steady command, though the Red Sox continue to struggle overall. Offensive standout Rafael Devers, batting .365 over his last 13 games, sparked Boston's scoring but is currently involved in off-field tensions after refusing to play first base following a teammate's injury. The matchup is expected to be a pitching duel with runs at a premium, as both teams have demonstrated strong defensive and pitching capabilities in recent games. The Royals’ momentum and home-field advantage position them favorably against a Red Sox team seeking to rebound from recent losses.