KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP)– David Ortiz passed two Hall of Famers on the career home run chart. He was hardly the only Boston hitter who had a big day.
Ortiz launched his 476th homer — which traveled 456 feet, according to ESPN Stats & Information — to move past Stan Musial and Willie Stargell, and the Red Sox banged out 13 extra-base hits Sunday in a 13-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals.
Hanley Ramirez hit his team-best 15th homer and Mookie Betts also went deep for the Red Sox, who set a season high for runs. Xander Bogaerts had three doubles, and Wade Miley (7-6) pitched six scoreless innings.
Ortiz homered leading off the fourth to move into 29th place on the career list.
“I got to meet ‘The Man’ [Musial] one time a long time ago,” Ortiz said. “I didn’t get to see him playing, but he was very impressive in his career. When they start mentioning your name next to those all-time Hall of Famers, that’s something that means you’re doing something right. It’s an honor.”
Betts, Brock Holt and Dustin Pedroia, the first three batters in the lineup, each had three of Boston’s 16 hits. They combined to go 9-for-15 with seven runs and six RBI.
“That’s a good way to finish the road trip,” Boston manager John Farrell said. “Evidenced by the scoreboard, there were a number of really good at-bats, particularly the top three guys setting the tone for us.”
Betts, who missed the cycle by a single, is batting (.556) with nine extra-base hits in a nine-game hitting streak.
Bogaerts stroked a three-run double in a five-run fifth when the Red Sox batted around and chased Chris Young (6-3).
Boston’s first nine hits were all for extra bases. The Red Sox had a season-high eight doubles.
Miley, who pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the first, was the beneficiary of the offensive outburst. He limited the Royals to five singles, walked three and struck out two.
“The offense got some runs early and often and kept scoring the whole game,” Miley said. “It makes it a lot easier to just go out there and try to throw strikes.”
Young, who had tossed 13⅓ scoreless innings in winning his previous two starts, yielded seven runs on three homers, four doubles and three walks in 4⅔ innings.
“I didn’t make enough good pitches,” he said. “That’s what happens when you face a good team and you’re not at your best.”
Lorenzo Cain’s two-run triple with two outs in the ninth prevented the Royals from being shut out.
