Wake Me Up When September Ends - Sox Lose 4-3 To Royals

Jon Lester may not have pitched bad, but he also wasn't the answer as the Red Sox lost to the Kansas City Royals 4-2 at Kauffman Stadium giving KC 2 wins in the 3-game series. The Royals scored 3 runs in the bottom of the first on some bad defense by Marlon Byrd in center and Cody Ross in left after Lester (pictured) had retired the first two batters.

Mike Aviles had a pair of hits and Adrian Gonzalez hit a bases-clearing double in the top of the 3rd inning to tie the score. The Royals went ahead 4-3 in the bottom of the 4th on an RBI double by Alcides Escobar.

Lester went 5 innings; he was charged with 4 runs (1 earned) on 6 hits and a walk while striking out 3.

Boston had runners at 2nd and 3rd in the top of the 9th with 1 out but couldn't get either runner home.

NOTES - The result of the game was overshadowed by sad news earlier in the day that Fenway Park PA announcer Carl Beane died after suffering a heart attack while driving in Sturbridge, MA on Wednesday afternoon. Beane had served as the team's public address announcer since 2003.

Clayton Mortensen threw 3 scoreless innings of relief for the Red Sox.