Red Sox 3 - 4 Royals
Final
  for this game

Red-hot Royals edge Red Sox to take series

Aug 12, 2013 - 3:34 AM Kansas City, MO (Sports Network) - Alex Gordon went 3-for-4 with a home run and James Shields picked up his first win at home in over three months as the Kansas City Royals claimed a four-game series victory against the Boston Red Sox with Sunday's 4-3 win.

Greg Holland shut down the AL East-leading Red Sox in order in the ninth to the enjoyment of the crowd at Kauffman Stadium, who have seen the Royals capture a scintillating 16 of their last 19 games and seven consecutive series victories.

"We're playing great baseball right now. We just have to maintain our focus on that," Royals manager Ned Yost said.

Shields (7-8), picking up his first home win since April 30, fired seven innings while allowing three runs -- two earned -- on seven hits and three walks.

Gordon finished with a pair of RBI, with David Lough and Jarrod Dyson also each knocking in a run for Kansas City.

John Lackey (7-10) was hit with the loss, throwing seven innings of four-run ball. He struck out five and walked two. Ryan Lavarnway had two RBI for Boston.

"It was a grind early," Lackey said. "I wasn't feeling really great. I had a couple of 3-2 counts and didn't make my pitch."

Dyson helped manufacture of pair of runs for Kansas City in the second. He knocked in Mike Moustakas with a ground-ball single, then swiped second base before scoring on Lough's base hit to give the Royals a 3-1 lead.

Gordon tacked on to the Royals' advantage in the third with a one-out solo homer, his 13th of the season.

Shields was cruising through five innings, but found trouble in the sixth. Daniel Nava reached with a ground-ball single, Stephen Drew doubled and Lavarnway brought both runners in with a single to left to make it 4-3.

The Red Sox, though, failed to manage another hit. Holland's save in the ninth was his 32nd of the season.

Shane Victorino scored in the opening inning for Boston via a throwing error on Kansas City catcher Salvador Perez's errant pickoff attempt, but Gordon pulled the Royals even at 1-1 with an RBI single in the home half.

Game Notes

Jacoby Ellsbury went 0-for-5 for the Red Sox, ending a 21-game hitting streak against the Royals ... Drew finished 2-for-4 to extend his overall hitting streak to 12 games ... Lackey has pitched into the seventh inning in 11 straight outings.






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