Red Sox left fielder Masataka Yoshida holds up the ball after pulling it out of a broken light on the Green Monster during Wednesday’s game against the Kansas City Royals. Kyle Isbel was credited with a ground-rule double. Charles Krupa/Associated Press
BOSTON — Alex Verdugo had a two-run double to help the Boston Red Sox beat the Kansas City Royals 4-3 on Wednesday night in a game with one of the strangest ground-rule doubles in Fenway Park history.
In the top of the second inning with two out and Matt Duffy on first base, Kyle Isbel lashed a drive to left field that looked as if it would be caught by Masataka Yoshida, who lunged and clasped his glove. But Yoshida missed the ball, crashing into the wall. He got up, clearly confused, looking around for the ball.
The ball was not on the field. It had smashed through one of the red lights on the wall that denote the number of outs. Yoshida picked the ball through the hole in the light, with the play ruled a ground-rule double.
The Red Sox scored three runs in fourth to erase a one-run deficit. Yoshida led off with a double, Rafael Devers drew a one-out walk, and Verdugo drove in both with his double. Luis Urias reached on catcher’s interference, and Reese McGuire’s singled to score Verdugo.
Right-hander Nick Pivetta (8-6) went five innings, allowing two runs – on solo home runs by MJ Melendez – with eight strikeouts. Kenley Jansen got the save, his 25th of the season, after giving up a homer to Freddy Fermin in the ninth.
Melendez hit his first homer of the night in the second inning
Triston Casas’ home run in the bottom of the second tied it. Melendez’s leadoff homer in the fourth, his 12th of the season for his second career multi-homer game, gave the Royals the lead again.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Red Sox: Right-hander Garrett Whitlock, out since July 3 because of elbow inflammation, made his first rehab start, going 2 1/3 scoreless innings with three strikeouts for Triple-A Worcester.
ON THE MOVE
Boston made several roster moves before the game. Right-hander Kyle Barraclough was selected to the major league roster and left-hander Brandon Walter was recalled from Worcester. Right-hander Nick Robertson was optioned to Worcester, and right-hander Dinelson Lamet was designated for assignment.
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