It was a coming-out party offensively for Jarren Duran over the final two games of the series in Kansas City.
With one swing Tuesday night, Duran broke the game open and helped power the Red Sox to victory. He followed it up in even bigger fashion Wednesday.
Duran launched a go-ahead two-run homer to left field in the seventh inning, lifting Boston to a 4-3 victory over the Royals and completing the club’s first series sweep of the season.
For a Red Sox lineup that has spent much of the year searching for offense, Duran has suddenly started looking like the catalyst the club expected him to be at the top of the order.
“It was just a good all-around win for us,” Duran told NESN’s Jahmai Webster on the field following the game.
Duran’s biggest swing came in the seventh inning.
Facing Royals reliever Steven Cruz, the outfielder drove a 366-foot opposite-field two-run homer into the Red Sox bullpen in left field, turning a one-run deficit into a 4-3 Boston lead.
“I’m trending in the upward direction, and I’m just trying to stay simple and do stuff to help the team win,” said Duran.
Later in the game, Duran ripped a 114.1 mph rocket into the right-center field gap for his first triple of the season, another encouraging sign that the dynamic outfielder may finally be heating up after a sluggish start to the year.
“I was getting roasted by everybody that Willson and Masa (Yoshida) both had a triple here and I didn’t, so it was just good to get that one off the books so they can’t roast me anymore,” Duran said.
Duran’s impact wasn’t limited to the batter’s box.
In the bottom of the third inning, the Red Sox outfielder raced toward the left-field line and made a leaping catch in foul territory, robbing the Royals of another potential baserunner and continuing an impressive night defensively.
“I’m willing to get hurt to make a play for my pitchers, so I wasn’t really thinking about [the railing or the netting],” said Duran. “I was just trying to make a play for Earls. He’s going really good, and I was just trying to give him one easy out.”
Connelly Early turned in another quality outing Wednesday afternoon, pitching into the seventh inning despite surrendering a pair of home runs.
The rookie left-hander was tagged for a 379-foot solo homer by Salvador Perez in the first inning before Elias Díaz connected for a two-run shot in the fifth that briefly put Kansas City ahead 3-2.
The southpaw did not allow a home run in any of his first eight major league starts, a stretch that included his 2025 American League Wild Card start against the Yankees. Over his last seven starts, however, Early has surrendered nine home runs, including two Wednesday against the Royals.
Even so, Early battled through 6 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on six hits while walking one and striking out five to keep the Red Sox within striking distance until Duran delivered the decisive blow. The left-hander threw 93 pitches, 63 for strikes, and racked up 13 swing-and-misses.
Boston was opposed by a familiar face in Michael Wacha, who turned in a strong outing despite taking a no-decision. The former Red Sox right-hander worked six innings and allowed two runs, one earned, on six hits while walking two and striking out eight.
Wacha matched a season high by throwing 105 pitches, 69 for strikes, and generated 16 swings and misses as he repeatedly frustrated Boston hitters throughout the night.
Willson Contreras helped spark Boston’s offense early, tripling in the second inning for just the second time in the last four seasons. His leadoff three-bagger ignited a two-run rally that gave the Red Sox a 2-1 lead.
