BOSTON (AP) — Garrett Crochet scattered four hits over seven innings and Trevor Story hit a blooper into center field to break a sixth-inning tie on Tuesday night and led the Boston Red Sox to their seventh straight win, 6-2 over the Kansas City Royals.

Crochet (13-4) struck out eight to win his ninth consecutive decision and help Boston win for the ninth time in 10 games. Story drove in two runs in the sixth and and added another RBI single in the three-run seventh, when the Red Sox took a 6-2 lead.

Ryan Bergert (1-1) gave up two runs on two hits and two walks, striking out two in 5 2/3 innings. He walked Alex Bregman with two outs in the sixth, then Angel Zerpa came in and gave up a double to Wilyer Abreu before Story lofted one over the second baseman’s head to make it 3-1.

The Red Sox loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh on two walks and Jarren Duran’s single off the shortstop’s glove. Abreu hit a popup that fell between the out-sprinting second baseman and hard-charging right fielder to score two runs, then Story singled in another run to make it 6-2.

Key moment

Crochet retired the first 10 Royals batters before Bobby Witt Jr. tripled in the fourth and scored on Maikel Garcia’s double. The Red Sox ace allowed just one more hit before Garcia walked to lead off the seventh and then scored on Randal Grichuk’s double off the tip of left fielder Duran’s glove to make it 3-2.

But Crochet struck out Nick Loftin for the second out and then got Luke Maile on a 97 mph fastball to end the inning.

Garcia had two hits for the Royals.

Key stat

The Red Sox are 13 games above .500 for the first time since the end of the 2021 season.

Up next

The teams finish the series and the Red Sox go for their second straight sweep when trade deadline acquisition Dustin May (6-7, 4.85 ERA) makes his Red Sox debut against Kansas City’s Michael Wacha (5-9, 3.38).

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