KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Jacoby Ellsbury matched a career high with four hits and drove in a pair of runs to lead the Boston Red Sox to a 5-3 win over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday night.
Ellsbury had RBI-doubles in the fourth and sixth innings and also stole his major league-leading 42nd base. It was his 10th career four-hit game and second this season.
The Red Sox scored four runs in the fourth. Will Middlebrooks, who was just recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket, fueled the rally with a two-run single. Stephen Drew drove in a run with a double, extending his hitting streak to a season-best 11 games.
The Royals answered with a three-run fifth. Eric Hosmer and Billy Butler drilled back-to-back RBI doubles and Miguel Tejada hit a two-out single.
Red Sox starter Felix Doubront failed to get an out in the fifth, facing four batters before being replaced by Brandon Workman. Doubront gave up three runs on six hits and four walks.
Royals right-hander Jeremy Guthrie (12-8), who had won his previous four starts, threw a season-high 123 pitches in seven innings, allowing five runs on 10 hits and a walk.
Ellsbury drove in Middlebrooks with a sixth-inning double for the final run off Guthrie.
Workman (3-1) picked up his second victory of the week with 1 1-3 scoreless innings. Koji Uehara pitched a flawless ninth to collect his 12th save in 15 chances.
Billy Butler had three hits, including two doubles, for the Royals, who lost for only the third time in 18 games.
NOTES: The Royals placed OF Lorenzo Cain on the disabled list with a pulled left oblique. They recalled LHPs Will Smith and Donnie Joseph from Triple-A Omaha and designated for assignment LHP Francisley Bueno, who picked up the victory Friday with 2 1-3 scoreless innings against the Red Sox. . Royals RHP Wade Davis, who has been on the family emergency leave after the death of his step-brother, will be activated Sunday and will start Monday against Miami. . The Royals are optimistic C Salvador Perez, who is on the concussion list, would get the clearance to be activated Sunday.
Middlebrooks called up from minors
Will Middlebrooks is getting a second chance to be Boston’s everyday third baseman.
The Red Sox recalled Middlebrooks from Triple-A Pawtucket on Saturday and put him in the starting lineup against the Kansas City Royals.
Middlebrooks hit .192 with nine home runs and 25 RBIs in 53 games, while striking out 60 times in 203 at-bats before Boston sent him down on June 25. He hit .333 in his past eight games in the International League and 12 of his last 18 hits went for extra-base hits. “It’s a chance to add a power bat to our lineup,” Red Sox manager John Farrell said. “Middlebrooks was getting squared away with his stance in the box.
“I think once you’ve had a shot in the majors there’s a little more urgency to get back here. He’ll get the majority of the reps at third.”
The Red Sox also put infielder Brandon Snyder on the 15-day disabled list with an injured right elbow. Boston activated left-hander Franklin Morales, who went on the disabled list June 23 with a strain on the left side of his chest.
Snyder injured his right elbow July 30 diving for a ball down the left-field line against Seattle.
“Snyder’s re-aggravated his elbow,” Farrell said. “He seemed to be past it, but after some swings in the cage he re-aggravated it.”
Right-hander Pedro Beato was optioned to Triple-A. He was 1-1 with a 3.60 ERA in 10 relief
appearances.