Carter Jensen has a 2-run double in the Royals' 3-2 victory over the Red Sox

BOSTON (AP) — Carter Jenson had a two-run double, Salvador Perez added an RBI and the Kansas City Royals beat the Boston Red Sox 3-2 on Friday night.

It was the second straight win for the Royals, who’d lost four of their previous five. Jensen, a rookie catcher, extended his on-base streak to 15 games.

Kansas City’s Seth Lugo (7-8) pitched five innings and allowed two runs off seven hits, striking out seven to earn his first career victory in five starts against Boston. Steven Cruz pitched a scoreless ninth for his seventh save.

Boston has lost three straight after winning five in a row.

Boston’s Sonny Gray (17-5) was pulled after six innings, yielding three runs off six hits with two walks and five strikeouts

The Royals led 3-0 before Red Sox closed the gap to 3-2 in the fifth via a solo homer by Mickey Gasper and Wilyer Abreu RBI double off the Green Monster.

That remained the score in the eighth when Trevor Story got doubled off reliever Nate Pearson, and moved to third after Nick Sogard flied out to right. But Caleb Durbin struck out to end the threat.

Royals RHP Randy Dobnak (3-3, 2.54 ERA) was set to start opposite LHP Ranger Suarez (6-4, 3.44) on Saturday.

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Boston Red Sox's Mickey Gasper, right, is congratulated by Adley Rutschman after his solo home run in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royal, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Kansas City Royals Seth Lugo starting pitcher Seth Lugo delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Kansas City Royals' Carter Jensen dashes down the first base line on his RBI double during the third inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

A giant flag is unfurled honoring the victims of Sept. 11th attacks prior to a baseball game between the Boston Red Sox and Kansas City Royals, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Kansas City Royals' Vinnie Pasquantino watches the flight of his RBI single during the third inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

PHOENIX (AP) — Ketel Marte had two doubles and three RBIs to please the Chase Field crowd, Corbin Carroll added a two-run homer and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Texas Rangers 9-1 on Friday night.

Marte’s performance came less than two weeks after he was booed by the home fans Aug. 31 in his return from the injured list. The three-time All-Star missed 13 games after an unexpected no-show before a game in Boston, leading to days of confusion about his health and frame of mind.

The veteran second baseman eventually apologized for how he handled the situation. He received mostly cheers before Friday’s game and the crowd roared in approval after his two doubles.

It was a much-needed breakout from Arizona's offense, which was averaging less than three runs per game so far in September. The D-backs are locked in a tight battle with the San Diego Padres for the final National League wild card.

The D-backs scored four runs in the fifth and five more in the sixth to take a 9-1 lead. Marte had a two-run double in the fourth while Carroll and Arenado had back-to-back homers in the sixth.

It was Carroll's 20th home run of the season and the fourth straight season he's gone deep at least 20 times.

Arizona right-hander Merrill Kelly gave up one run over 4 1/3 innings. Reliever Justin Martinez threw an immaculate inning in the sixth, retiring Wyatt Langford, Evan Carter and Jake Burger on nine pitches.

Texas left-hander Mackenzie Gore (8-11) gave up four runs over four innings. The Rangers fell to 72-76 and are three games behind the Cleveland Guardians for the final AL wild card.

The Rangers took a brief 1-0 lead in the top of the fifth on Joc Pederson's RBI double to right field.

The D-backs send RHP Brandon Pfaadt (7-2, 3.53 ERA) to the mound Saturday night to face Rangers RHP Kumar Rocker (5-11, 4.61).

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Texas Rangers'Jake Burger, right, challenges a called third strike by home plate umpire Brian Walsh, left, as Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno pauses at home plate, before the called was overturned, during the second inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Merrill Kelly throws against the Texas Rangers during the first inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo, right, celebrates a run scored by Diamondbacks' Ryan Waldschmidt (15) during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Texas Rangers starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore pauses at the pitcher's mound after giving up a two-run double to Arizona Diamondbacks' Ketel Marte during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Arizona Diamondbacks' Ketel Marte connects for a two-run double against the Texas Rangers during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)