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Red Sox Bounce Back With 8-6 Win Over Royals

Red Sox's Dustin Pedroia is welcomed to the dugout after hitting a home run. (AP)
Red Sox's Dustin Pedroia is welcomed to the dugout after hitting a home run. (AP)

James Loney hit a tying single in his Boston debut and Jacoby Ellsbury drove in the go-ahead run as the revamped Red Sox bounced back from a nine-player trade and a 12-inning loss to beat the Kansas City Royals 8-6 on Sunday.

A day after he was the only major leaguer coming to Boston in a deal that sent Josh Beckett, Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, Nick Punto and more than $250 million in salary to the Los Angeles Dodgers, Loney went 1 for 5. Pedro Ciriaco had three hits, scored twice and drove in two runs for the Red Sox, who won for just the fourth time in 12 games.

Pedro Beato (1-0) allowed two runs in two-plus innings but got the win on the same day he was called up from Triple-A Pawtucket. Mark Melancon pitched the ninth for his first save.

Will Smith (4-6) allowed five runs - four earned - and nine hits in five-plus innings for Kansas City.

Lorenzo Cain hit a three-run homer as the Royals scored four in the fourth to take a 4-2 lead.

Ciriaco hit a solo homer in the fifth, then Ellsbury singled, advanced on a grounder, stole third and scored on Loney's single to center - his first career AL hit. Ellsbury's RBI single in the sixth gave the Red Sox the lead.

It was 7-4 in the seventh when the Royals loaded the bases with nobody out to chase Beato. Craig Breslow came in and struck out Johnny Giavotella before Eric Hosmer hit a sinking liner that right fielder Cody Ross lost in the sun.

He charged in, ducked, and at the last minute stabbed out his right arm to make the catch; Billy Butler scored from third to make it 7-5, but Ross, as he fell, hit the cutoff man with just enough force to keep the other runners from advancing.

Abreu singled in another run, then Cain struck out looking to end the threat.

Dustin Pedroia added a solo homer in the eighth for Boston.

Boston starter Felix Doubront, who was activated from the disabled list (bruised right knee), struck out seven in five innings, but was charged with four runs and six hits. He is winless in his last five starts.

This program aired on August 26, 2012. The audio for this program is not available.

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