Dennis Leonard got the start for Kansas City and the Sox wasted no time scoring. Wade Boggs grounded out to short to start but Dwight Evans tripled into the gap. Jim Rice hit a sac fly to score Evans to give the Sox the quick lead. Tony Armas walked and Carl Yastrzemski singled but Dave Stapleton ended the rally with a groundout, but the Sox were ahead 1-0.
Hurst came out throwing darts in the bottom of the first inning. Willie Nelson grounded out to first but U L Washington walked. George Brett singled but Amos Otis flied out to left. Washington was gunned down at second by Rich Gedman trying to steal to end the inning.
Gedman followed his caught stealing with a single to start the top of the second. Rich was erased on the fielder's choice by Glenn Hoffman. Julio Valdez flied out to left and Boggs grounded out to second to end the inning. Hurst stayed tough in the bottom of the second inning by getting Hal McRae to ground out to short to start. Frank White flied out to left and Willie Aikens grounded out to second to end the inning.
Leonard turned up the heat in the top of the third by striking out Evans, Rice and Armas in short order to end the inning. Jerry Martin singled to open the bottom of the third but John Wathan grounded into a double play. Nelson flied out to right to end the inning.
The Sox struck again in the top of the fourth although Yaz whiffed to start. Stapleton flied out to left but Gedman belted a solo home run to increase the lead. Hoffman struck out to end the inning with the Sox up 2-0.
The Royals struck back in the bottom of the fourth inning. Washington singled to center but was erased on the Brett force. Otis and McRae stroked back to back singles to score Washington. White popped up to second and Aikens lined out to first to end the inning with the Royals back in it 6-2.
The Sox wasted a golden chance for more runs in the top of the fifth inning after Valdez singled to start the frame. Boggs walked but Evans hit into a double play. Rice popped up to first to end the inning. The Royals made the Sox pay dearly for their missed chance in the bottom of the fifth inning. Martin struck out but Wathan singled. Wilson lined a gap shot into the right field corner that scored Wathan but Wilson was thrown out at third trying to stretch. Washington then made Rice fall on his ass trying to make a diving catch in left field, motoring all the way around for an inside the park home run to give the Royals the lead. Brett popped up to short to end the inning but it was now 3-2 Royals.
The Sox offense was done for the night in the top of the sixth inning as Armas struck out to start. Yaz flied out to center and Stapleton grounded out to short to end the inning. The Royals struck again in the bottom of the sixth inning. Otis doubled and McRae singled him to third. White doubled home Otis and send McRae to third. Hurst did manage to strike out Aikens but Sox manager Ralph Houk had seen enough. Hurst was lifted after giving up 4 runs in just 5 1/3 innings.
Mark Clear came in and McRae was thrown out at home after a grounder hit to Boggs off the bat of Martin. Wathan lined out to left to end the inning but it was 4-2 Royals.
The Sox did nothing in the top of the seventh as Gedman singled to start but was forced at second on the grounder by Hoffman. Rick Miller pinch hit for Valdez and flied out to right and Boggs grounded into a force to end the inning. The Royals struck again in the bottom of the seventh with Marty Barrett taking over at second. Nelson singled and stole second before Washington struck out. Brett walked but Otis lined out to third. McRae singled to score Wilson to increase the lead before White struck out to end the inning with the Royals up 5-2.
Dan Quisenberry took over in the top of the eighth and the Sox rolled over and died. Evans singled but Rice banged into a double play. Armas grounded out to short to end the inning. Clear returned for the bottom of the eighth and Aikens greeted him with a solo home run to increase the lead. Martin and Wathan both grounded out to third before Wilson doubled to left. Washington walked but Brett flied out to center to end the inning with the Royals up 6-2.
The misery ended in the top of the ninth as the Sox beat the ball in the dirt. Yaz grounded out to second, Stapleton grounded out to the pitcher and Gedman grounded out to second to end the game. The Royals had won it 6-2.
Jackass of the Night is Bruce Hurst. He lasted just 5 1/3 innings while giving up 4 runs, taking the loss.
The Good:
Dwight Evans was 2 for 4 with a run scored.
Rich Gedman was 3 for 4 including his first home run of the year.
Julio Valdez was 1 for 2.
The Bad:
Dave Stapleton was 0 for 4.
Glenn Hoffman was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
Rick Miller was 0 for 1 as a pinch hitter.
Mark Clear gave up 2 runs in 2 2/3 innings.
The Ugly:
Wade Boggs was 0 for 3 but walked.
Jim Rice was 0 for 3 but drove in a run.
Tony Armas was 0 for 3 but walked.
Carl Yastrzemski was just 1 for 4.
Honorable Mention:
Marty Barrett played second base in the bottom of the eighth.
Final Thoughts:
Well that was abysmal. Hurst looked mortal and the offense looked inept. The Royals aren't exactly the Milwaukee Brewers so the Sox shouldn't be having this much trouble with them. Evans has been hitting well but Rice, Armas and Stapleton have barely done anything so far this year. Maybe things will improve when the weather warms up but for right now they look as dull as ever. Not only are they dull on the field, but they're as dull off of it as well. The Sox return to action tomorrow night with John Tudor getting the start for the Sox opposite Mike Armstrong. The game starts at 7:30 PM at Royals Stadium.
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