Duffy, Royals have 5-game winning streak end, fall to Bosox

However, the 28-year old’s inconsistency in 2015 proved to be a mute point in the Boston Red Sox’ 4-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Friday night, as Miley (W, 10-9) yielded just a single run on six hits in 7.1 dominant innings of work, striking out six batters en route to limiting a formidable offensive attack.

Owens faced CC Sabathia in his debut and a New York Yankees lineup that had been piling up big numbers before the Red Sox arrived. “I just think this team is capable of doing special things in any special moment”, said interim Red Sox manager Torey Lovullo.

He walked Escobar on four pitches to open the game. “We want to find out what we have with Kris Medlen“, manager Ned Yost said. “He makes quality pitches when he needs to”.

The real damage came from lower in the Red Sox’s lineup.

“They just beat me”, Cueto said.

Barnes allowed six runs, six hits and three walks while striking out seven in five innings of an 8-2 loss to Cleveland on Monday as the Red Sox begin the process of potentially turning Barnes into a starter. The Royals also committed two errors, leading to another run. They have three more nights to atone against the bottom-dwelling Red Sox this weekend at Fenway Park. Lorenzo Cain and Eric Hosmer each laced singles with two outs, which brought Kendrys Morales to the plate with runners on the corners. Although he has professed his love for Boston, it appears that a change of scenery may be needed to help Napoli get his career back on track. Barnes was 2-3 with a 5.64 ERA in 21 relief appearances with the Red Sox this season and struck out 29 in 27 1/3 overall innings in 2015. Ortiz is batting. 303 with nine bombs and 34 RBI in his last 36 games vs. the Royals (since beginning of 2009). This was the first time that Barnes had pitched into the sixth inning in the majors, as he had worked exclusively out of the bullpen before taking Steven Wright’s place in the rotation last week. “Great first step. Engaged defensively and locked in defensively”.

The Red Sox will look to win the series against the best team in the American League on Sunday afternoon, in what projects to be the best pitching matchup of the weekend.

Royals 2B Omar Infante singled to end an 0-for-31 skid. He received a plasma-rich platelet injection in his elbow after the all-star break and went to see Dr. James Andrews last week to confirm he could throw again.

Both of his career starts against Boston have ended in defeats with a 7.15 ERA and. He had allowed three or fewer runs in each of his four starts since being acquired from Cincinnati in late July.

Swihart getting locked in: Swihart was so immersed in learning all it takes to be a good catcher in the Major Leagues that he had to make his offense secondary.

Owens is the second Red Sox rookie left-hander to go eight innings and allow one earned run this week.