Porcello stops KC as Red Sox finally end skid

Rick Porcello emerged from a personal slump by pitching six quality innings as the Boston Red Sox held off the visiting Kansas City Royals 7-5 Monday night to snap an eight-game losing streak. Sam Travis and Rafael Devers homered as Boston took the opener of a three-game series to end its longest skid since 2015. Porcello (10-8) gave up one run on four hits and two walks, striking out five.

Bubba Starling, Cheslor Cuthbert, and Meibrys Viloria homered for Kansas City, which dropped its seventh straight. With his team trailing 7-2, Starling's three-run shot off Matt Barnes pulled the Royals within two with two outs in the eighth. Barnes got the final out and turned it over to Brandon Workman, who pitched around a one-out double in the ninth for his sixth save.

Porcello, who had given up six runs in four of his last six starts, hung zeroes over the first five innings. Boston's offense kicked into gear in a three-run third as Mookie Betts led off with a four-pitch walk, moved to third on a Devers single and scored when a Xander Bogaerts grounder was muffed by Nicky Lopez at shortstop. After a double play, Travis crushed a two-run shot to left-center for a 3-0 lead.

Devers' opposite-field blast just over the Green Monster in left made it 4-0 in the fifth, but the Royals got on the board on Cuthbert's solo shot in the sixth. Nathan Eovaldi followed Porcello for the Red Sox in the seventh and surrendered Viloria's first career home run with one out to make it 4-2. Boston tacked on three runs in the bottom of the seventh, though Betts fouled a ball off his leg in the frame. He left in the eighth with a left shin contusion and is day-to-day.

Mike Montgomery (1-5) started and took the loss for Kansas City, allowing four runs (two earned) on seven hits and one walk while striking out seven in five innings. J.D. Martinez was scratched from the starting lineup for the Red Sox with back tightness.

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