BOSTON -- More than three months had passed since the Boston Red Sox last played the Kansas City Royals. Still, Boston manager John Farrell had his answer cued up Friday when asked his opinion on why the defending World Series champions were able to roll into Fenway Park with 15 wins in their past 18 games.
"The bullpen," Farrell said. "They haven't given up a run since who knows how long. It's been nearly 40 innings."
Indeed, when Kansas City reliever Peter Moylan was charged with a harmless run in the ninth inning of a series-opening 6-3 victory, it ended the Royals bullpen's run of 41 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings, the longest streak since the Kansas City Athletics' relievers went 44 innings without giving up a run in 1966.