Morales Homers On Birthday In Royals' 7-4 Win Over Red Sox

It was a rough loss for the Boston Red Sox.

Not only did they lose the game, but they also had two starters hurt and designated hitter David Ortiz was ejected.

Kendrys Morales homered on his 32nd birthday and the Kansas City Royals rallied to beat the Red Sox 7-4 on Saturday night.

Morales hit a two-run, tie-breaking shot in a five-run fifth off Rick Porcello (4-8). It was his third career homer on his birthday.

The Red Sox lost third baseman Pablo Sandoval (sprained left ankle) and catcher Blake Swihart (sprained left foot) to injuries. Sandoval was in a walking boot after the game. X-rays were negative.

Sandoval committed a throwing error in the inning when he hurt his ankle. Swihart was pinch hit for in the sixth after injuring his left foot on a slide into third base the previous inning.

"Both are day-to-day," Red Sox manager John Farrell said. "We'll check them when they come in in the morning. It's undetermined right now if we're going to need to make a (roster) move. Blake's is at the base of the fifth toe. There were no fractures there. There was nothing structurally, bone-wise, with Pablo either."

Ortiz was ejected in the seventh inning by home plate umpire Bruce Dreckman.

"All I have to say is this situation between players and umpires is getting to the ridiculous point," Ortiz said. "It seems to me that it's more of a feeling than reality. I'm an 18-year veteran in this league. When I was coming up, it seems like you would get respect for that. It doesn't work that way anymore. In my house, I was (taught) that if you don't respect me I don't have to respect you. That's how I am."

Ortiz had words with Dreckman at the plate and when he singled to center off Kelvin Herrera, he flipped his bat high and several feet in front of the plate. While standing on first, Ortiz began gesturing to Dreckman, who thumbed him.

"If you call two bad pitches (for) a guy who throws 100 (miles per hour) what am I going to do," Ortiz said. "It was pretty obvious that those pitches were pretty bad. Then I look at you and you look at me, and all I said was that the guy on the mound didn't need any help."

The Red Sox scored two runs in the top of the fifth to take a 4-1 lead, but Porcello imploded in the bottom of the inning with a hit batter, a balk, a walk and four hits.

"I hit the lead-off guy, and that's obviously something I don't want to do," Porcello said. "A couple of ground ball base hits and then the balk call, that took away our double play opportunity. I thought I had another pitch that I could go into Morales on, a fastball up and in. I pretty much put it right where I wanted to and he turned on it."

Porcello lost his sixth straight, matching his career high set in 2012. He allowed six runs, eight hits, two walks and hit two batters in five innings.

Salvador Perez hit his fifth home run in 12 games for the Royals.

Boston's Mookie Betts led off the game with a home run, extending his hitting streak to eight games.

Right-hander Edinson Volquez (7-4) was not sharp, allowing four runs, eight hits and two walks in 5 1/3 innings, but won his third straight start.

Greg Holland worked the ninth for his 13th save in 14 opportunities.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Red Sox: 2B Dustin Pedroia (sore left knee) returned to the lineup after missing the previous two games. He hit third and was 0 for 5.

Royals: LHP Danny Duffy (biceps tendinitis) will come off the DL on Wednesday to start at Seattle.

UP NEXT

Red Sox: LHP Wade Miley, who starts the series finale, yielded a career-high 10 earned runs, nine hits and three walks in 4 2-3 innings in an Aug. 5, 2014 start against the Royals while with the Diamondbacks.

Royals: RHP Chris Young is 4-1 with a 2.42 ERA in six home games this season.

PINO OPTIONED

RHP Yohan Pino gave up six runs on 11 hits in 5 1-3 innings Friday in a loss to the Red Sox and was optioned Saturday to Triple-A Omaha. The Royals recalled RHP Aaron Brooks, who will be used in long relief. Brooks was 4-3 with a 3.42 ERA with Omaha.