By MATT PIKE
Following the conclusion of the first half of the I-70 series in St Louis, it was two former Cardinals that had strong nights at Kauffman Stadium as the Boston Red Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 3-1 in the series opener between the two teams
Willson Contreras hit his team-leading 10th homer and Sonny Gray outdueled Seth Lugo after first pitch in the game was moved up 30 minutes because heavy thunderstorms were forecast for later in the day.
Gray allowed one run on five hits in six-plus innings. He struck out nine and walked one, continuing this strong month of May for Boston as he has given up just two runs over 16 innings for a 1.13 ERA since returning from the injured list on May 6th. Lugo, fell to 1-4 taking the loss, allowing two runs on five hits in six innings for Kansas City, which has lost seven of eight. Lugo has taken a loss in three of his four starts in May, posting a 5.57 ERA across 21 innings.
The Royals had a chance in the fifth inning with back-to-back hits off Gray. Michael Massey lined a double off the glove of left fielder Masataka Yoshida and Kyle Isbel rolled a single into left field, but Yoshida threw out Massey at the plate to keep the Royals from taking the lead. Boston took the lead in the very next inning after Lugo gave up a bloop single to Mickey Gasper leading off the sixth. With one out, Contreras hit a 435-foot shot to left-center for a 2-0 lead.
The Red Sox extended the lead in the seventh inning on Jarren Duran's sacrifice fly scoring Connor Wong. In the bottom half of the inning, Kansas City cut into the lead with their only run of the game, Jac Caglianone hitting and RBI double and driving in Carter Jensen, after Jensen led the inning off with a walk.
At the plate, Caglianone led the way going 2-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI. Massey was 1-for-3 with a double.
Kansas City and Boston continue their series tomorrow. The Royals will have a bullpen game after scheduled starter, Kris Bubic, was placed on the 15-day injured list Monday, retroactive to May 15th, with left elbow soreness while Ranger Suarez (2-2, 2.44 ERA, 40K's) starts for the Red Sox. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40pm, with pregame at 6 on KFEQ (680AM/95.3FM).
You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.