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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
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| Varitek |
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Jason Varitek loves hitting against the
Royals.
Varitek hit three home runs and had seven RBI -- both career
highs -- to lead the Boston Red Sox past Kansas City 10-3 Sunday.
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Power Players
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A rundown of this season's three-homer performances:
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Jason Varitek, Red Sox, 5/20 vs. Royals
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Barry Bonds, Giants, 5/19 vs. Braves
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Jeromy Burnitz, Brewers, 5/10 vs. Cubs
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Geoff Jenkins, Brewers, 4/28 vs. Expos
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Carlos Delgado, Jays, 4/20 vs. Royals
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Todd Hollandsworth, Rockies, 4/15 vs. D-Backs
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Aramis Ramirez, Pirates, 4/8 vs. Astros
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Delgado, Jays, 4/4 vs. Devil Rays |
"Kansas City has been tough for us all last year and this
year," Varitek said after the final meeting of the teams this
season. "For us to come away winning this series and winning today
is just big for us period."
The Red Sox won two of three at Kansas City and split the
six-game season series with the Royals.
Varitek, who went 4-for-4, hit a solo shot in the second off
Brian Meadows (1-5), a three-run homer in the fourth and a two-run
drive in the eighth against Mac Suzuki.
Varitek, who has hit four of his five homers this season against
Kansas City, is a career .372 (35-for-94) hitter against the
Royals. He became the first Boston player with three in a game
since Trot Nixon at Detroit on July 24, 1999.
Varitek had gone 108 at-bats without a home run before an
11th-inning game-winning homer May 13 against Oakland.
"Anytime you don't have one and you have the capability of
hitting one, you know it," Varitek said. "I made some adjustments
in my swing. I'm able to see the ball better.
"I think I was closing myself off a little bit, chasing balls
too much with my feet. We made that adjustment and since then
things have been better."
It was the third multihomer game for Varitek, his first this
season. He said his last three home-run game was when he played for
Georgia Tech.
"You can't have a better game than he had today," Red Sox
manager Jimy Williams said. "He drove in a lot of runs and caught
a good game."
Manny Ramirez hit his 15th homer of the season and went 2-for-3,
raising his average to a league-leading .406. He has 27 homers
against Kansas City, his most against any team.
Carl Everett homered in the ninth off Suzuki.
Frank Castillo (5-2) allowed one run -- unearned -- and six hits
in six innings. Castillo, 5-1 in his past seven starts, is 3-0 with
a 1.13 ERA in his career against Kansas City.
"We didn't have our hitting shoes on," Royals manager Tony
Muser said. "Frankie can throw the ball slower, slower and slower
than slower. Our young boys had a tough time adjusting to that."
Castillo has not given up an earned run in his past two starts,
covering 12 innings.
"I had a pretty good cutter, a decent curveball and location
with my fastball," Castillo said. "Varitek had a great series and
is swinging a hot bat. He called a good game. He's a strong guy.
You make a mistake to him and he's going to deposit it somewhere."
Meadows has allowed 12 homers, the most off a pitcher in the
American League. He gave up five runs and six hits in 3 1/3
innings, his shortest outing of the year. His ERA rose to 6.80.
"I got a changeup in the zone the first time to Varitek,"
Meadows said. "That's been my problem. I've got to get it down.
The next at-bat, I thought was a pretty good pitch. He took it the
other way. I wasn't expecting that. The guy is hitting well right
now."
Joe Randa put Kansas City ahead in the first with an RBI double
following an error by left fielder Dante Bichette. Mike Sweeney hit
an RBI grounder in the eighth off Rich Garces following a triple by
Rey Sanchez.
Boston tied it at 1 on Varitek's first homer, then took a 5-1
lead in the fourth on the homers by Ramirez and Varitek.
Varitek's RBI single and Nixon's sacrifice fly made it 7-1 in
the sixth.
Game notes
Sweeney doubled in the sixth and leads the majors with 24
doubles. ... Red Sox 2B Jose Offerman singled in the first to
extend his hitting streak to 13 games. ... Rain delayed the start
of the game 13 minutes. ... The Royals are 9-12 at Kauffman
Stadium. ... The Red Sox are 10-9 when the opponent scores first.
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RECAPS
Tampa Bay 10
Detroit 2
Baltimore 3
Minnesota 2
Boston 10
Kansas City 3
Texas 3
Toronto 2
Oakland 6
Chi. White Sox 2
Seattle 6
NY Yankees 2
Anaheim 9
Cleveland 6
Atlanta 11
San Francisco 6
Colorado 7
Florida 2
NY Mets 6
Los Angeles 5
San Diego 5
Montreal 3
St. Louis 3
Philadelphia 1
Pittsburgh 8
Milwaukee 7
Chicago Cubs 6
Arizona 5
Cincinnati 6
Houston 5
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