Triston Casas hit a solo home run and Alex Verdugo had a two-run double to help the Boston Red Sox defeat the visiting Kansas City Royals 4-3 on Wednesday night.

Freddy Fermin sliced Boston's lead to one when he hit a solo home run against Kenley Jansen with one out in the ninth, but the Red Sox avoided further damage and Jansen picked up his 25th save.

Boston's Nick Pivetta (8-6) pitched the first five innings and held the Royals to two runs on four hits. He recorded eight strikeouts and walked two.

MJ Melendez hit two solo home runs for Kansas City. He has four home runs in his last four games.

Melendez hit his first homer to give Kansas City a 1-0 lead in the second, and broke a 1-1 tie by belting his 12th home run in the fourth.

Casas got the Red Sox on the scoreboard when he homered in the bottom of the second. It was his 18th home run of the season.

The Red Sox caught a break in the top of the second, when Kyle Isbel's double appeared to drive in Matt Duffy to give the Royals a 2-0 lead. The ball broke a light on the Fenway Park scoreboard in left field, however, and Isbel's hit was ruled a ground-rule double, which sent Duffy back to third. Maikel Garcia, Kansas City's next batter, hit a fly ball to left to end the inning.

Verdugo's double in the fourth drove in Masataka Yoshida and Rafael Devers to give Boston a 3-2 lead. Verdugo scored on Reese McGuire's single to extend Boston's lead to 4-2.

Jordan Lyles (3-13) pitched all eight innings and took the loss. He surrendered four runs on seven hits in eight innings. Lyles struck out six and walked one.

Pablo Reyes collected three of Boston's seven hits.

The Royals have lost four of their last five games.

--Field Level Media