The Rays have scored 16 runs in their last three games and four or more runs in five of their last nine games.
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Ten of Pedroia’s 11 hits were singles, including one infield single. “I got it in that little corner”.
Boston Red Sox’s Eduardo Rodriguez, left, stands on the mound as Kansas City Royals’ Salvador Perez, right, runs the bases toward home after hitting a home run in the second inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Aug. 28, 2016, in Boston.
“I heard something”, said Pedroia, the 2008 AL MVP.
“I’m glad to go home”, he said. “I think there’d be some benefit to that”.
Pedroia delivered a two-out RBI single in bottom of the fourth, and Mookie Betts and Ramirez hit back-to-back solo home runs in the fifth for a 7-2 Boston lead. “I mean 4 for 4 last night, 4 for 5 tonight”.
Betts hit his 29th, a solo shot, in the fifth and Ramirez followed with his two pitches later to almost the same spot, two rows into the Monster seats about three fans apart.
Royals: RHP Wade Davis (flexor strain), LHP Jason Vargas (recovering from Tommy John surgery) and RHP Kris Medlen (right rotator cuff inflammation) were all expected to pitch for Triple-A Omaha on Saturday. Andriese has fared well against Boston in his career, going 1-0 with a 1.72 ERA and 0.83 WHIP in four games (two starts) while limiting the Red Sox to a.193 average.Tampa Bay is looking to become the first team to defeat Porcello at home this season, as the 27-year-old is 12-0 with a 2.96 ERA in 13 starts at Fenway Park.
NOTES: Red Sox C Ryan Hanigan began a rehab assignment at Double-A Portland on Saturday.
Pedroia went 4-for-5 with a double and two RBIs, but he grounded into an inning-ending double play in the eighth to snap his streak of 11 straight hits, one shy of tying the major league mark. Harold Baines (1980-2001) is next with 1,643. Fans in Canada threw caps onto the field to celebrate the home run hat trick.
Royals: RHP Yordano Ventura (9-9, 4.27 ERA) is set to start the series finale on Sunday night. Rick Porcello takes the hill, and he’s 17-3 with a 3.23 ERA and 145 strikeouts this season.
Matt Barnes, the first Sox reliever on the scene, was charged with five runs, struggling as most every Sox reliever has this month aside from Craig Kimbrel.
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Pedroia has been red-hot lately but he will miss Sunday night’s showdown with the defending World Series champs.
