The Royals played the 42nd game of the 69 season against the Boston Red Sox at home in Municipal Stadium in Kansas City.
Mike Flore started the Royals scoring with a two-out homer in the first inning. The Red Sox took a 3-1 lead in the top of the third when Reggie Smith hit his 4th homer of the year off of Dick Drago, driving in pitcher Sonny Siebert and Carl Yastrzemski.
The Royals gained ground in the bottom of the third when Jackie Hernandez scored on a wild pitch by Siebert, but stranded Pat Kelly to leave the game at 3-2 after three innings. A Yastrzemski double in the 5th added on to the Red Sox lead, making it 4-2.
The Sox stayed on top 4-2 until the bottom of the 7th inning when the Royals rallied. Lou Piniella and Jerry Adair started the inning with back-to-back singles. Bob Oliver hit what should have been an easy grounder to third, but Dalton Jones failed to field the throw from George Scott. The resulting error scored Piniella. Tom Burgmeier, pinch running for Adair, advanced to third and Oliver reached second base. Two outs later, Jackie Hernandez hit a blooper up the right-field line, allowing Burgmeier and Oliver to score. The Royals ended the 7th inning with a 5-4 lead.
Dave Wickersham worked the 8th and 9th, giving up two hits and closing out the game for his 4th save of the year.
