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Lowell, Youkilis lead Red Sox past Royals

Apr 5, 2007 - 5:30 AM KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Ticker) -- The Boston Red Sox's bats came to life in the second game of the season.

Mike Lowell overcame his first three-error game by doubling home two runs in the first inning and Kevin Youkilis hit a two-run homer as the Red Sox evened their opening series against the Royals at a game apiece with a 7-1 victory.

The victory snapped the Red Sox's six-game losing streak at Kauffman Stadium dating back to August 23, 2005.

Kansas City starter Odalis Perez got two quick outs in the first inning before running into trouble by surrendering a walk to David Ortiz and a single to Manny Ramirez. J.D. Drew drove home a run with a double and Lowell followed with a double to deep left, plating Ramirez and Drew to open a 3-0 lead.

"Three in the first was great," Boston manager Terry Francona said. "That's a good way to play the game. They shut us down for awhile, but we got the one back and added on a couple more."

"Papi had a good at-bat, Manny came up and smoked the ball, and it kind of left it up to me off the lefty," Drew said. "I just tried to do something; I wanted the ball in a certain zone and I got what I was looking for and was able to snatch it down in the corner and get a run on the board."

Drew also sparkled defensively, snuffing out a third-inning Kansas City rally when he made nice catch in deep left-center field off the bat of Mike Sweeney.

"I know Sweeney can put a charge into a ball, and he really did hit the ball well," Drew said. "I was able to get a good jump on that ball; I thought I'd have to leave my feet for a minute but was able to make the catch."

"When it was hit, I was in the dugout thinking, 'You're out,'" Francona said. "It was a tough play. He got a good jump; that was an extra-base hit. At that time of the game, that was a huge play."

The burly Kansas City lefthander allowed four runs, five hits and three walks in 5 1/3 innings.

"I thought he pitched well enough to win," Kansas City manager Buddy Bell said. "(Josh) Beckett made the pitches when he had to. We had out chances, but didn't do anything with them."

The Royals left at least one runner on base in each of the first six innings, but the Red Sox pitching kept the Royals at bay.

Youkilis hit his first homer of the season with one out in the seventh off Royals' reliever Todd Wellemeyer.

"It's always good to get a home run out of the way," Youkilis said. "I didn't feel good at the plate today; luckily, I had a good swing on it, a good fastball in the zone. It was great to have such a big hit there. I was just trying to drive in a runner, and the next thing I know I hit a home run."

Boston's bats were kept in check Monday by Royals starter Gil Meche, but the lineup went off for eight hits off Perez and four Kansas City relievers.

Red Sox starter Josh Beckett was not sharp, managing just 46 strikes among his 94 pitches in five innings. However, he worked his way out of trouble, allowing just one run and two hits while walking four and striking out five.

"It was a good day for me," Beckett said. "I worked on my secondary stuff. I kept throwing curveballs and kept battling."

"If he would have stayed with his fastball, maybe we could have gotten another inning out of him," Francona said. "But to his credit, he stayed with his off-speed pitches, it helps what he's trying to do."