MLB: Boston 10, Kansas City 3

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Sept. 25 (UPI) -- Clay Buchholz threw 6 2/3 shutout innings Thursday and the Boston Red Sox moved closer to a playoff berth with a 10-3 decision over Kansas City.

Boston climbed eight games in front of Texas in the American League wild-card race with 10 games remaining. Any combination of three Boston wins or Texas losses will make the Red Sox a playoff team for the third straight year.

Buchholz (7-3) allowed five hits and struck out eight. He left the game with a 5-0 lead, thanks in part to a solo homer David Ortiz during a three-run fourth.

Kansas City closed within 6-3 in the eighth, but the Red Sox tacked on four runs in the ninth -- two of them scoring on a double by Ortiz.

Anthony Lerew, called up from Class AA late in the season by the Royals, made his first major league start in two years and only the fourth of his career. Lerew (0-1) gave up four runs on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings to take the loss.