Fermin hits a 12th-inning single to give Royals 2-1 win over Red Sox, 16th win in last 18 games

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Freddy Fermin hit a line drive RBI single into left center in the bottom of the 12th inning to give the Kansas City Royals a 2-1 win over the Boston Red Sox on Friday night.

Steven Cruz (1-0) pitched the 12th for his first major league win as the Royals won their seventh consecutve game and for the 16th time in their last 18 games.

Sean Newcombe (0-4), the eighth Red Sox pitcher of the game, took the loss.

Each team scored a run in the 11th after 10 scoreless innings.

Both starting pitchers cruised.

Kansas City’s Michael Lorenzen gave up just three hits through seven innings, striking out seven and walking none. He was helped by his defense, including a diving stab of a line drive by first baseman Salvador Perez in the fourth.

Hunter Dobbins didn’t allow a run in six innings for Boston, though he did have to work around trouble a couple of times. He gave up two hi...