KANSAS CITY (Reuters) - The Kansas City Royals roared back from a six-run deficit to pound the Boston Red Sox 12-9 in an American League game between teams with contrasting records on Monday.
The Royals, who had trailed 6-0 in the third innings, scored six runs in the sixth inning to seize command at 11-9 and beat the AL wildcard leading Red Sox (89-60).
Kansas City (62-88), who are near the bottom of the AL Central Division, struck for five hits off two relievers in the sixth after Red Sox starter Tim Wakefield did not take the mound. They included two-run hits by infielders Alberto Callaspo and Yuniesky Betancourt.
Boston staked Wakefield to a six-run lead in the third, highlighted by Jason Bay's three-run homer and a two-run single by Jacoby Ellsbury.
But Kansas City chipped away with runs in the third and fourth innings and after Boston took an 8-2 lead in the top of the fifth, the Royals added three more in their half of the inning on designated hitter Mike Jacobs' three-run homer.
A wild pitch gave Boston a 9-5 advantage in the sixth, but Billy Butler's RBI double and Callaspo's two-run double brought the Royals within one run later in the sixth.
Alex Gordon tied the score at 9-9 on a run-scoring single and Betancourt made it an 11-9 game with his two-run single.
Butler added another run-scoring double in the seventh.
Wakefield, who has been hampered by leg and back problems, pitched five innings for Boston, allowing five hits and five runs while striking out two and walking seven.
The loss went to the Red Sox's second reliever in the sixth, Daniel Bard (2-2).
Yasuhiko Yabuta (2-1) gained the win for Kansas City by pitching the sixth in relief of starter Lenny DiNardo. DiNardo gave up 10 hits and eight runs in five innings.
(Reporting by Gene Cherry in Wilson, North Carolina; Editing by Greg Stutchbury)
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