BOSTON, April 21 (UPI) -- Ervin Santana tossed seven solid innings and Salvador Perez provided the key hit Sunday, lifting Kansas City over Boston 4-2 in Game 1 of a doubleheader.
Santana (2-1) tamed the Red Sox on two runs over seven innings, yielding six hits while not issuing a walk and striking out seven.
Bruce Chen and Aaron Crow combined for a scoreless eighth inning and Greg Holland picked up his fourth save with a 1-2-3 ninth as the Royals evened their three-game series at Fenway Park.
Kansas City scored three times in the fourth to erase a 2-1 deficit. Perez provided a tie-breaking, two-run single when he sent a liner past diving shortstop Stephen Drew into center field.
Boston starter Ryan Dempster (0-2) surrendered four runs on six hits over seven full frames, issuing three walks while fanning eight.
David Ortiz went 3-for-4 with an RBI in the loss.
