Anthony breaks seventh-inning tie as Red Sox beat Royals 4-1

Roman Anthony supplied the hit that restored Boston’s lead, and Trevor Story gave the Red Sox room to finish. Their late singles turned Payton Tolle’s six scoreless innings into a 4-1 victory over the Royals on Sunday, September 13, at Fenway Park, completing a series win after Boston lost Friday’s opener.

Anthony broke a 1-1 tie in the seventh with a single to left that scored Caleb Durbin. Story drove in Willson Contreras and Adley Rutschman in the eighth, extending the lead before Aroldis Chapman worked through a two-walk ninth for his 34th save. Boston improved to 82-68; Kansas City fell to 66-84.

Tolle gives Boston six scoreless

The afternoon began with Tolle striking out Nick Loftin, Bobby Witt Jr. and Jac Caglianone on nine pitches. The Boston Globe’s Tim Healey described the left-hander smiling before the final pitch and receiving a standing ovation afterward. It was a moment Fenway could enjoy immediately, even with eight innings still to play.

Tolle backed that opening with a full start: six innings, four hits, one walk and seven strikeouts. He threw 70 of his 96 pitches for strikes and allowed no extra-base hits. The Royals put runners aboard after the first, but none scored against him.

Durbin provided the only run while the starters were in the game, homering to left-center in the second. Noah Cameron kept Kansas City close by allowing one run and four hits across six innings. Boston entered the seventh with the same 1-0 advantage it had established five innings earlier.

The seventh changes hands twice

Kansas City finally tied it against the bullpen. Erik Miller walked two batters and recorded one out before Garrett Whitlock entered. Pinch-hitter Carter Jensen singled home John Rave, putting the Royals level and leaving another runner at third. Whitlock limited the damage to that run.

Boston then made Kansas City’s walks costly. Craig Kimbrel issued two to begin the home seventh, and Anthony delivered against Connor Thomas, lining the go-ahead single to left. Durbin scored, while Nick Sogard advanced to third. The Red Sox had recovered the lead within the same inning they surrendered it.

Story’s two-run single off Nate Pearson in the eighth changed the closing assignment. Chapman still had to navigate two walks, but struck out three without allowing a hit. Greg Weissert had already supplied a clean eighth, retiring all three batters he faced. Whitlock received the win; Kimbrel took the loss.

Boston finished with eight hits and no errors. Tolle’s opening inning supplied the day’s standout image, but the series was settled by what followed: six scoreless from the starter, a prompt answer to Kansas City’s tying run and Story’s insurance hit before the ninth.

Watch the game highlights

Boston’s official highlights follow Tolle’s opening strikeouts, Durbin’s home run and the late hits that settled the series.