James Loney drives in go-ahead run in Red Sox debut

BOSTON -- With a well-placed ground ball up the middle, James Loney showed he can fit in at Fenway Park -- just like Chavez Ravine.

Loney hit a tying single in his Boston debut, Jacoby Ellsbury drove in the go-ahead run an inning later and the revamped Red Sox bounced back from a nine-player trade and a 12-inning loss to beat the Kansas City Royals, 8-6, Sunday. "I'm glad I'm here. It's one of the best atmospheres in baseball," Loney said after getting his first AL hit in his first game following the deal that brought him to Boston. "It felt good getting that opportunity, having a chance to deliver. I just want to keep that up." A day after he was the only major leaguer coming to Boston in a deal that sent Josh Beckett, Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford, Nick Punto and more than $250 million in salary to the Los Angeles Dodgers, Loney went 1 for 5. Pedro Ciriaco had three hits, scored twice and drove in two runs for the Red Sox, who won for just the fourth time in 12 games.

Loney also made a nice pickup at first base on a short-hop throw from third baseman Ciriaco, but grounded into a rally-ending double play in the bottom half.

Pedro Beato allowed two runs in two-plus innings but got the win on the same day he was called up from Triple-A.