Kansas City Royals manager Mike Matheny’s strategy of having an all-rookie battery quickly fell apart, as the Sox scored eight runs in the top of the first inning of a 9-1 win.
Hitting for the cycle, and batting around, there were impressive at-bats from hitters 1-9, and they gave Lance Lynn more than enough cushion to start the game. In particular, Yoán Moncada drove in runs from both sides of the plate, and Danny Mendick hit a two-run homer. The only other run came in the ninth inning, courtesy of a Yermín Mercedes single that scored José Abreu.