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Freddy Fermin roped an RBI single in the 12th inning, after Kansas City’s Michael Lorenzen and Boston’s Hunter Dobbins both delivered stellar starts, and the Royals recorded a season-high seventh straight win, 2-1 on Friday night.

After Cavan Biggio’s sacrifice bunt moved placement runner Michael Massey to third, Fermin dropped a Sean Newcomb pitch into left field to send the Royals to their 16th win in 18 games.

Lorenzen allowed just three hits and struck out seven without a walk through seven innings. Meanwhile, in his fourth major league start, the rookie Dobbins lowered his ERA to 2.78 after giving up five hits and fanning six, also without issuing a walk, over six innings.

The teams combined for just 14 hits.

Boston scored the game’s first run in the 11th, when Rafael Devers’ grounder stopped by Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. allowed placement runner Ceddanne Rafaela to score from third.

Devers, who also singled, came through one day after he told reporters he would not oblige the team’s request for him to play first base. Having already rather unhappily moved from third base to designated hitter this season after Boston acquired Alex Bregman, Devers reportedly met with club owner John Henry about this situation.

Kansas City, though, tied it via Vinnie Pasquantino’s RBI single in the bottom of the 11th.

As Dobbins and Lorenzen continued to duel on the mound, Kansas City posted the first real scoring threat in the bottom of the fifth. Kyle Isbel tripled with one out in the frame, but then was thrown out between third base and home on a ground ball to shortstop by Jonathan India, who was also thrown out trying to take second on the play.

In the top of the sixth, Boston wasted a lead-off double from Rafaela.

Kansas City threatened again in the seventh when Greg Weissert walked the first two batters of the inning. But Mark Canha then hit into a 6-3 double play and Fermin was out on a liner to right fielder Wilyer Abreu.

Steven Cruz (1-0) relieved Daniel Lynch IV in the 12th and got two outs for his first career win.

–Field Level Media