KANSAS CITY -- Royals right-hander Jakob Junis was coming off two solid outings in which he twice went six innings for quality starts, and he struck out seven in each turn. But Junis got roughed up by the Red Sox in an 8-0 loss on Wednesday night at Kauffman Stadium.

KANSAS CITY -- Royals right-hander Jakob Junis was coming off two solid outings in which he twice went six innings for quality starts, and he struck out seven in each turn.

But Junis got roughed up by the Red Sox in an 8-0 loss on Wednesday night at Kauffman Stadium.

Junis got in trouble from the get-go. He walked the first batter, Mookie Betts, who later scored on an RBI fielder’s choice. Junis gave up another run later, though that was unearned. He then seemed to find his groove and threw three straight shutout innings while striking out four.

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But he got hit hard in the fifth. Doubles by Andrew Benintendi and Rafael Devers plated one run. A walk and an infield hit on a misplay by Cheslor Cuthbert loaded the bases, and then with two outs, light-hitting Jackie Bradley Jr. jumped on a slider and drove it to the wall in left for a three-run double.

“Even in the fifth [inning], I was close,” Junis said. “The infield single hurt. I got the next out, and if I get that [infield single by Brock Holt] out, I’m out of the inning.

“That slider to [Bradley Jr.] was right where I wanted it, below the zone. He doesn’t hit offspeed that well, but he got that one.”

Bradley Jr.’s hit ended Junis’ night.

Meanwhile, the Royals were no match for Red Sox left-hander Chris Sale, who went the distance and gave up just three singles. Sale walked none and struck out 12. He also threw an immaculate in the eighth -- nine pitches, all strikes.

“I didn’t even know I saw it,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “I was trying to figure out ways to get [the offense going]. [Bench coach] Dale [Sveum] told me. That was a quick, boom-boom-boom inning.

“He was really good. Had three pitches working. Started out at 90 [mph], got to the mid-90s in the middle innings.”