The Kansas City Royals fell for the eighth time in nine games with a 7-1 loss Tuesday, May 19 to the Boston Red Sox.

Four of Boston’s runs were scored in the ninth off reliever Eli Morgan, but the game slipped away from the Royals after a number of miscues on the basepath. Boston held a tight 2-1 lead after the second, with RBIs collected by Willson Contreras in the first and Caleb Durbin in the second, aided by a fielding error by Lane Thomas after his double in the first tied things up. The Royals had a chance to tie the game in the fifth after Carter Jansen’s leadoff double. Maikel Garcia tacked on a single, but was gunned down by catcher Carlos Narváez when attempting to make it a double. Another chance to tie the game was snuffed out in the sixth when Thomas was caught stealing third with one out.

Boston made KC pay for their failure to capitalize, namely Contreras, who grounded out in the eighth inning to score Ceddanne Rafaela. He added an RBI single in the ninth to again score Rafaela, after Jarren Duran tagged Morgan with a three-run blast to right field.

Bailey Falter lasted two innings and took the loss, allowing two runs on four hits with three walks and two strikeouts. Ranger Suarez went 4.1 innings and allowed one run on four hits and three walks while striking out three. Garrett Whitlock’s scoreless eighth with one strikeout allowed him to claim his third win of the season.

The Royals continue to slide further into the AL Central basement at 20-29, trailing Cleveland by 7.5 games. The Royals look to avoid the sweep Wednesday at 6:40 p.m., when Michael Wacha gets the start against Connelly Early. Pregame begins at 6 p.m. on KMMO-FM 102.9.