Royals roar back to defeat Red Sox

AMERICAN LEAGUE

The Kansas City Royals roared back from a six-run deficit to pound the Boston Red Sox 12-9 in a rain-splattered American League game between teams with contrasting records on Monday.

The Royals, who trailed 6-0 in the third inning, scored six runs in the sixth inning to seize command at 11-9 and beat the Red Sox.

That’s just going out there and not giving up,” first baseman Billy Butler, who drove in two runs, told reporters. “We took it to them. If they say anything different, they’re not telling you the truth.”

Kansas City (62-88), who are near the bottom of the AL Central Division, struck for five hits off two relievers in the sixth after Red Sox starter Tim Wakefield did not take the mound. They included two-run hits by infielders Alberto Callaspo and Yuniesky Betancourt.

Boston staked Wakefield to a six-run lead in the third, highlighted by Jason Bay’s three-run homer and a two-run single by Jacoby Ellsbury.

But Kansas City chipped away with runs in the third and fourth innings and after Boston took an 8-2 lead in the top of the fifth, the Royals added three more in their half of the inning on designated hitter Mike Jacobs’ three-run homer.

“After Jake’s homer, we started thinking, We’re in this game.’ With the conditions the way they were, anything could happen,” Royals’ center fielder Josh Anderson said.

A wild pitch gave Boston a 9-5 advantage in the sixth, but Butler’s RBI double and Callaspo’s two-run double brought the Royals within one run later in the sixth.

Alex Gordon tied the score at 9-9 on a run-scoring single and Betancourt made it an 11-9 game with his two-run single.

Butler added another run-scoring double in the seventh.

Wakefield, who has been hampered by leg and back problems, pitched five innings for Boston, allowing five hits and five runs while striking out two and walking seven.

The loss went to the Red Sox’s second reliever in the sixth, Daniel Bard (2-2).

Japan’s Yasuhiko Yabuta (2-1) gained the win for Kansas City by pitching the sixth in relief of starter Lenny DiNardo. DiNardo gave up 10 hits and eight runs in five innings.

TWINS 7, WHITE SOX 0

At Chicago, Nick Blackburn pitched seven innings and Orlando Cabrera had two RBIs and scored three runs to lead Minnesota to a 7-0 victory.

The Twins moved within two and a half games of first-place Detroit, which was idle, in the AL Central. The White Sox lost for the fifth time in six games and are seven back.

Blackburn (11-11) allowed eight singles with no walks and six strikeouts to earn his first road win since May 31 against Tampa Bay. He is 4-1 this season against Chicago.

Cabrera had a triple, sacrifice fly, RBI single, and reached on an error.

Rookie Daniel Hudson (0-1) took the loss in his first major league start, allowing four hits and three runs — one earned — in five innings.

In other games it was:

• Angels 5, Yankees 2

• Rangers 10, Athletics 3

• Blue Jays 9, Orioles 2

NATIONAL LEAGUE

AP, HOUSTON

Mark DeRosa homered twice as St Louis beat Houston 7-3 on Monday, a few hours after the Astros fired manager Cecil Cooper. Dave Clark was named interim manager.

DeRosa also had a two-run double for the Cardinals.

Kyle Lohse (6-8) allowed three runs and five hits in six innings to earn his first win since Aug. 10.

Houston starter Wandy Rodriguez (13-11) had given up no more than one run in 11 of his previous 14 starts, but trailed 3-0 after the first inning in this one.