Red Sox 4, Royals 3; Boston earns series sweep in rare late-innings win
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - MAY 20: Jarren Duran #16 of the Boston Red Sox hits a two-run home run against the Kansas City Royals in the seventh inning at Kauffman Stadium on May 20, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) | Getty Images The Red Sox earned just their third win of the season when trailing after six innings. The rare clutch comeback helped Boston sweep the Kansas City Royals with a 4-3 victory.
A quality start from Connelly Early and a late swing from a hot bat delivered the clincher. Here’s three takeaways from Wednesday’s series finale. EARLY BETTER THAN GAME SHOWS Early made only two real mistakes in this start.
The Royals made them hurt. Salvador Perez hooked a solo home run in the first inning before Elias Díaz lifted a two-run home run off the lefty in the fifth inning to give the Royals the lead. Otherwise, Early looked solid in this one across six strong innings with five strikeouts against Kansas City.
DURAN STRIKES AGAIN The Red Sox could take a step forward if Jarren Duran finds a way to sustain even half of what he produced on the field at Kauffman Stadium this week. Duran went 2-for-5 with a homer and four RBIs in the first two games of the series. On Wednesday night, he took over with a leaping catch at the wall in foul territory before his two-run home run in the seventh inning vaulted the Red Sox into the lead.
He added another extra-base hit on the night with his first triple of 2026. Jarren Duran Legacy Game 🐐👀 Red Sox Lead 4-3 🔥 pic. twitter.