“We’re trying to win a game,’’ Wakefield said. “We’re not trying to do a favor for me.’’
Gordon’s two-run double off Matt Albers (4-4) put the Royals up 6-4. Hosmer’s two-run triple off Franklin Morales capped off the scoring.
The Royals also got run-producing doubles by Jeff Francoeur and Mike Moustakas. Chris Getz’s single scored Moustakas to tie the score at 4-4.
The eight-run sixth matched a Royals season-high for an inning. Gordon led the Royals’ offense with two doubles and an eighth inning single for his 500th career hit.
“I thought it was a pretty typical Wake outing,’’ Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. “He was looking pretty good. His pitch count was a little high and he was getting some balls up. There were a couple of balls that trickled through there and then in the sixth they got a ton of two-out runs.’’
Albers (4-4) took the loss, retiring only one of the six batters he faced and surrendering give runs.
“We’re obviously frustrated for him,’’ Albers said of not getting Wakefield his milestone victory. “When it’s 5-4 you have to keep the game close. Giving up the lead like that is bad enough, when it’s 5-4, but making it 9-4, that really makes it hard on our offense.’’
The 45-year-old Wakefield gave up four runs and nine hits in 5 1-3 innings. Hosmer, Moustakas and Salvador Perez were not even born when Wakefield began his professional career in 1988 as a weak-hitting first baseman for Watertown in the Pittsburgh Pirates farm system. He moved to the mound the next year.
“A lot of these kids had never even seen a knuckleball before, so the third time around might have made a difference,’’ Royals manager Ned Yost said. “He would leave a couple up, but the majority were really dancing good and really dive bombing once it got into the strike zone.
