Rick Porcello pitched seven effective innings, Andrew Benintendi had four hits and scored twice, and the Boston Red Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 7-4 on Sunday.
The Red Sox hit .385, 45 for 111, and had 68 base runners in sweeping the three-game series. Boston has won six straight and 13 of 16.
Porcello (11-3) allowed three runs on nine hits before leaving after 111 pitches. He struck out nine, matching his season high, and walked one. Craig Kimbrel got the final two outs for his 27th save in 29 chances.
Benintendi extended his on-base streak to 11 straight -- seven hits and four walks -- before striking out in the eighth.
Drew Butera singled and Whit Merrifield doubled to lead off the Kansas City seventh, but Porcello stranded them by striking out Jorge Bonifacio and Mike Moustakas and retiring Lucas Duda on a fly ball.
Eduardo Nunez drove in two Boston runs with singles in the fourth and seventh. Mitch Moreland walked with the base loaded in the fifth and singled in a run in the seventh. Xavier Bogaerts also contributed an RBI-double in a three-run seventh.
Merrifield singled in a run in the ninth for his first five-hit game. Bonifacio drove in two KC runs with a third-inning double.
Heath Fillmyer (0-1), who was making his first big league start, allowed four runs, one unearned, on eight hits and three walks. Fillmyer was filling in for Jakob Junis, who went on the disabled list with back tightness.
The Royals, who turned five double plays, lost their ninth straight to match their longest of skid this season and are 4-27 in their last 31 games. They are 38 games below .500 for the first time since ending the 2006 season 62-100.
ROYALS SIGN TEENAGE PITCHER
The Royals signed RHP Kaito Yuki, 16, from Osaka, Japan. He opted to sign a professional contract in lieu of going to high school.
ESCOBAR STREAK ENDS
Royals SS Alcides Escobar was not in the lineup after starting the previous 421 games, which was the longest active streak in the majors.
ROSTER MOVES
Red Sox: RHPs Ryan Brasier and William Cuevas were promoted from Triple-A Pawtucket. Brasier last pitched in the majors in 2013 with the Angels and spent last year in Japan. Cuevas was 5-5 with a 3.65 ERA in 15 starts with Pawtucket.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Red Sox: DH J.D. Martinez was held out of the lineup after fouling pitches off his right foot and left calf on Saturday. "He's a little banged up," Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. "It made sense to stay away from him. We'll give him one day and he'll be back in the starting lineup tomorrow."
C Christian Vazquez (broken right pinkie) went on the disabled list and will see a hand specialist Monday in Boston. LHP Brian Johnson (left hip inflammation) was placed on the 10-day DL.
Royals: RHP Jakob Junis (back tightness) was put on the DL, retroactive to July 3.
UP NEXT
Red Sox: LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (10-3, 3.84) will start the series opener Monday against the Rangers at Fenway Park.
Royals: LHP Danny Duffy (4-8, 5.19 ERA) will start Monday in Minnesota as the club opens a six-game trip.
