Lack of big hit spoils Lugo's quality start in finale

KANSAS CITY -- Despite the Royals winning five games in their seven-game homestand this week, it’s hard not to feel a little disappointed with how it ended the past two days, including Sunday’s 3-1 loss to the Red Sox at Kauffman Stadium.

Saturday’s blowout loss snapped the Royals’ seven-game win streak; Sunday’s loss snapped their five-series win streak. The five straight series wins were the Royals’ fifth-longest run in the Wild Card Era (since 1995), according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Despite the consecutive losses this weekend, the Royals’ 16-4 record since April 20 leads the Majors, and their 16 wins are two more than any other team. So they feel good as they head off to Houston for a quick three-game road trip beginning Monday.

“You want to win every series,” starter Seth Lugo said. “But we fought hard late, and that’s something to be proud of. The game was close, and we had a chance. We just fell short.”

Here are three takeaways from the weekend series:

Slow offense
The Royals had put up crooked numbers in the week prior to this series, but the Red Sox held them to four runs in three games this weekend.

This season, Kansas City has scored four runs or fewer in 35 of its 41 games.

The offense has been dissected over and over again to begin the year, and the Royals have emphasized their confidence in the lineup they have. That doesn’t go away after a three-game set like this one against a good Red Sox pitching staff.

“Those guys pitched their butts off,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “There are two teams out there trying to execute. Their pitchers did a heck of a job. … You look at all three days, it was a different look. They have a really well-balanced bullpen, righties and lefties. Guys that have done this for a long time. They know how to pitch.”

The big three
The Royals’ lone run Sunday came on a sacrifice bunt and error in the third. Kyle Isbel dropped it down with Drew Waters on second base. Red Sox starter Lucas Giolito threw to third base instead of first, throwing it past third baseman Alex Bregman for Waters to score.

After Jonathan India’s fielder’s choice, the Royals had runners on first and second with one out.

Bobby Witt Jr. struck out swinging. Vinnie Pasquantino grounded out.

“Certainly we would take our chances in that scenario every time,” Quatraro said. “It didn’t work out. But you’re optimistic at that point.”

The Royals had a similar scenario again in the ninth, down two runs with Aroldis Chapman on the mound. After Witt popped out on the first pitch, Pasquantino reached via error and Salvador Perez singled to put two on with one out.

Maikel Garcia flied out to left field, and Mark Canha popped out in foul territory to end it.

Witt, who entered Sunday hitting .323 on the season and 10-for-17 this homestand, struck out swinging three times against Giolito on Sunday -- two on elevated fastballs and one on a slider. The Royals’ big three hitters in Witt, Pasquantino and Perez combined to go 1-for-12 on Sunday. They can’t be perfect every time, and a deeper lineup would help.

“I know all nine of us in the lineup did everything we could to try to get the runs in [with] the guys on base,” Waters said. “… Boston [has] a really good pitching staff, and they obviously have the ability to kill the momentum. That’s what good teams do.”

Pitching keeps them in it
For the 21st time in 42 games, the Royals got a quality start from their starter. Lugo went six innings and allowed three runs Sunday, all on home runs from Wilyer Abreu and Rafael Devers.

Lugo admitted for the second consecutive start that he didn’t have his best stuff, but putting up a quality start seems like the minimum for the veteran righty.

“I think my movement the last couple of starts have been just a tick down,” Lugo said. “But it’s something we’re working on, something we know what’s going on, so it should be an easy adjustment.”

The pressure has been on the pitching staff all year, and it’s led to close games for the 24-18 Royals. They’ll still need the offense to find a way to back them up when they play contending teams like this weekend.

“We’ve got to play consistently, and we’ve got to find a way to get the big hit when we need it,” Quatraro said.