Nick Pratto hit a two-out homer to center field, lifting the Kansas City Royals to a 5-4 walk-off victory over the visiting Boston Red Sox on Saturday night.
Pratto launched a 3-2 changeup from Garrett Whitlock (2-2) for his first career walk-off hit. It was the eighth walk-off loss this season for the Red Sox, the most in the majors.
Dylan Coleman (3-1) pitched a perfect ninth to earn the victory. Whitlock, who had pitched two scoreless innings heading into the ninth, took the loss.
Neither starter factored into the decision. Kansas City’s Daniel Lynch allowed four earned runs on seven hits in six innings. He struck out six and didn’t walk anyone for the second straight start.
Nathan Eovaldi’s line was almost identical. He also allowed four runs on seven hits in six innings without yielding a walk. He struck out seven.
MJ Melendez led off the bottom of the first with a home run, the second time in the last three games that he has led off a game with a long ball.
The Red Sox answered in the second. J.D. Martinez hit a one-out double to the wall in right. He advanced on Christian Arroyo’s single and scored on an error by Bobby Witt Jr.
The Royals regained the lead in the third. Kyle Isbel led off with a single, followed by another single by Nicky Lopez, sending Isbel to third. Lopez stole second, and both runs scored when Witt singled to center with one out.
Bobby Dalbec responded with a two-run homer in the fourth to make it 3-3. It was Lynch’s first home run allowed in his last six starts.
Isbel put the Royals back in front with a two-out solo home run in the bottom of the fourth.
In the sixth, Lynch allowed a home run by a left-handed hitter for the first time in his career when Alex Verdugo blasted one 419 feet to center, tying the game at 4-4.
–Field Level Media