Red Sox win fourth straight series by turning back Royals

Rafael Devers and Dominic Smith each hit a two-run home run to propel the Boston Red Sox to a 5-4 victory over the visiting Kansas City Royals on Sunday in each team's final game before the All-Star Break.

Devers hit his 23rd home run of the season to give the Red Sox a 2-1 lead in the first inning, and Smith's fifth home run increased the lead to 4-1 in the second. Both home runs came against Kansas City starting pitcher Brady Singer (5-6), who gave up four runs on eight hits in 2 2/3 innings.

Jarren Duran went 4-for-5 for Boston, and David Hamilton added three hits. The Red Sox took two of three games against the Royals and have won their last four series.

Adam Frazier (No. 3 of the year) and Salvador Perez (No. 17) each hit a solo home run for the Royals. Frazier led off the game with a home run against Boston starter Brayan Bello (10-5), and Perez homered against Bello in the sixth.

Bello gave up three runs on seven hits in 6 1/3 innings. Kenley Jansen pitched two innings of relief to collect his 19th save. Jansen struck out the side in the eighth, but surrendered a run in the ninth.

After the home runs by Devers and Smith handed Boston a 4-1 advantage, Kansas City cut its deficit by a run in the fourth. Perez scored when MJ Melendez hit into a fielder's choice. Melendez appeared to injure himself running to first on the play and was replaced in left field by Garrett Hampson the following inning.

The Royals were within 4-3 following the Perez home run in the sixth. Perez and Hunter Renfroe each collected two of Kansas City's nine hits in the loss.

Smith had an RBI single that drove in Devers to make it 5-3 in the seventh.

Freddy Fermin had an RBI single in the ninth, but Hampson was thrown out at third by Ceddanne Rafaela on the play for the second out of the inning. Fermin was stranded at second.

--Field Level Media