Boston closer to playoffs after 10-3 win over KC

[September 25, 2009]  KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- David Ortiz homered and drove in three runs, and Clay Buchholz took a shutout into the seventh inning to help the Boston Red Sox move closer to the postseason with a 10-3 win over the Kansas City Royals on Thursday night.

Jacoby Ellsbury had four hits and two RBIs, Victor Martinez extended his hitting streak to 23 games and Dustin Pedroia pushed his to 16 games, lowering Boston's magic number for clinching the AL wild card to three.

The Red Sox had 15 hits and have won 12 of 15 with a weekend road series against the AL East-leading Yankees up next.

Royals starter Anthony Lerew (0-1) had a solid return to the majors and Billy Butler hit a two-run homer for Kansas City. The rest of the Royals unraveled around them with five errors -- two by shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt -- six unearned runs and two ejections.

Buchholz (7-3) has solidified his spot in Boston's postseason rotation, going 6-0 over his last eight starts after an uneven start to the season.

The right-hander shook off the effects of a head cold against the Royals, retiring 13 straight batters after working out of a two-on, one-out jam in the first inning. He allowed five hits and struck out eight in 6 2-3 innings.

The Royals gave Buchholz plenty of help with a flurry of errors and ejections in the third and fourth innings.

Third baseman Mark Teahen had a fielding error in the third that led to a run, then Betancourt booted one in the fourth that allowed Mike Lowell to score. Pedroia later added a sacrifice fly to put Boston up 4-0.

Royals ace Zack Greinke got the hook first, tossed from the bench by plate umpire Greg Gibson in the third after Lerew's 1-2 pitch to Ellsbury was called a ball.

Manager Trey Hillman was sent off the next inning after Lerew nearly hit Lowell with consecutive breaking balls and Gibson warned both benches. Hillman had to be separated from Gibson by crew chief Tim McClelland, then lingered on the field for several minutes before finally leaving.

Betancourt had another fielding error in the eighth that scored a run and second baseman Alberto Callaspo had one in the ninth for another run that put Boston up 8-3. It was Kansas City's first five-error game since Sept. 6, 2002, against Seattle.

The outbursts and outtakes spoiled Lerew's return to the big leagues after a two-year absence.

Back from Tommy John surgery, the right-hander kept Boston's bashers offbalance most of the night with a mix of low-90s fastballs and off-speed pitches. Even the homer by Ortiz wasn't a mistake: Boston's slugger reached down for a 1-2 pitch near his ankles and yanked it out to right-center for his 26th homer. Ortiz added a two-run double in the ninth off Jamey Wright.

Lerew allowed two earned runs -- four total -- on seven hits in 4 2-3 innings.

NOTES: Red Sox 1B Kevin Youkilis and RF J.D. Drew were given the night off. ... With the 2-2 split, Kansas City failed in its bid to win five straight series for the first time since 1993.

[Associated Press; By JOHN MARSHALL]

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