KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Allen Webster pitched six solid innings and Jemile Weeks stroked a pair of doubles and scored two runs as the Boston Red Sox defeated the sputtering Kansas City Royals 4-2 on Friday night.

Kansas City lost for the fourth time in five games and fell out of first place in the AL Central for the first time since Aug. 10. The Royals, who are 0-5 against the last-place Red Sox, dropped a half-game behind Detroit, which beat Cleveland 7-2.

Webster (4-3), who had allowed 15 runs on 16 hits and seven walks in 13 2-3 innings in his previous three starts, limited the Royals to four hits — including Eric Hosmer’s two-run homer in the fourth.

Weeks, who had a two-run double in the ninth inning Thursday, doubled in the third and fifth. Mookie Betts singled home Weeks in a three-run third. He scored again on Daniel Nava’s two-out single in the fifth.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The last-place Boston Red Sox took advantage of three critical errors by the first-place Kansas City Royals, pulling away late in a 6-3 victory Thursday night that ended a four-game losing streak.

Clay Buchholz (8-8) allowed three runs, two earned, over 6 1-3 innings for the Red Sox. He turned a one-run lead over to the Boston bullpen, and it preserved his sixth straight win against the Royals. Edward Mujica handled a perfect ninth for his fifth save.

Kansas City’s advantage in the AL Central dropped to a half-game over idle Detroit.

Liam Hendriks (1-2) failed to last three innings while making a spot start for left-hander Danny Duffy, who is shelved with shoulder soreness. The Royals’ defense didn’t do Hendriks any favors, making all three errors in the first four frames.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — All-Star closer Greg Holland could be available for the Kansas City Royals this weekend after dealing with some tightness in his right arm, while left-hander Danny Duffy was awaiting word from doctors before beginning to throw again.

The Royals lead the AL Central by one game over Detroit.

Royals manager Ned Yost said before Thursday night’s game against Boston that Holland felt good after throwing Monday. Holland planned to play catch and would be available if all went well.

Holland has not pitched since saving a 4-1 win over Texas on Sept. 3. Wade Davis picked up three saves in his place during the Royals’ recent six-game road trip.

Right-hander Liam Hendriks made a spot start Thursday night for Duffy, who left his previous outing after one pitch with soreness in his left shoulder. Duffy had hoped to only miss one start.

DETROIT (AP) — James Shields allowed two hits over seven innings in another terrific performance, and the Kansas City Royals edged Detroit 3-0 on Wednesday night to take a one-game lead over the Tigers atop the AL Central.

Shields (14-7) gave up a single to Ian Kinsler leading off the first. Then he picked off Kinsler — and retired every other batter he faced until another Detroit single in the seventh. The Tigers put two on that inning, but Shields worked out of the jam.

Kelvin Herrera pitched the eighth and Wade Davis finished for his third save.

Rick Porcello (15-11) pitched well for the Tigers, but Kansas City pushed across two runs in the fourth on RBI singles by Salvador Perez and Lorenzo Cain.

Alcides Escobar added a sacrifice fly in the ninth.

DETROIT (AP) — Max Scherzer escaped a bases-loaded jam in the fifth, Rajai Davis and J.D. Martinez homered, and the Detroit Tigers beat Kansas City 4-2 on Tuesday night to pull within percentage points of the Royals atop the AL Central.

Scherzer (16-5) allowed a run and seven hits in 6 2-3 innings. Kansas City was down 3-1 in the fifth when Alex Gordon’s deep fly to right went just foul with two on. Gordon walked to load the bases with one out, but Salvador Perez lined out and Eric Hosmer struck out.

Joe Nathan earned his 30th save in 36 chances, allowing two infield singles to start the ninth before ending it with two strikeouts sandwiched around a picked-off runner.

Kansas City’s Jason Vargas (11-8) allowed four runs in 5 1-3 innings.

DETROIT (AP) — Torii Hunter had two of his three hits in a six-run third inning and the Detroit Tigers beat Kansas City 9-5 Monday to move within a game of the American League Central-leading Royals.

Justin Verlander (13-12) allowed four runs and six hits in seven innings, walking one and striking out four for Detroit, which moved into a tie with Seattle for the second AL wild card.

Nick Castellanos had two hits with two runs scored and two RBIs for the Tigers. Victor Martinez had three hits three hits and an RBI, and Hunter scored twice and drove in a run.

Royals starter Jeremy Guthrie (10-11) allowed eight runs — six earned — and 10 hits in 2 2-3 innings. Guthrie has given up 14 earned runs in his last 6 2-3 innings against Detroit.

Lorenzo Cain hit an inside-the-park home run for Kansas City in the seventh inning.

NEW YORK (AP) — Yordano Ventura and the Kansas City Royals turned Derek Jeter Day into another disappointing defeat for the New York Yankees’ captain in the dwindling days of his career.

Ventura pitched three-hit ball into the seventh inning, and the AL Central leaders beat the Yankees 2-0 Sunday on a pair of unearned runs for their second shutout in the three-game series.

Kansas City scored due to errors by pitcher Shane Greene (4-3) in the second inning and right fielder Carlos Beltran in the third. The Royals, who won 1-0 Friday night on an unearned run following an error by third baseman Chase Headley, went 4-3 against the Yankees this year to take the season series for the first time since 1999.