Betts' 100th HR starts Red Sox's power surge

KANSAS CITY -- With 99 career homers entering Friday night's 10-5 win over the Royals, Red Sox right fielder Mookie Betts didn't waste any time joining some elite company with his 100th dinger.
Betts led off the game with a blast off right-hander Jason Hammel to left-center at Kauffman Stadium. The drive, which traveled a projected 410 feet, according to Statcast™, was Betts' fifth leadoff homer this season and the 16th of his career.
He was able to collect the baseball he hit for his 100th homer.
"I got it," said Betts, who went 1-for-5 in the game. "It's pretty cool. A special moment for sure. We just kept putting our foot on the gas."
Betts joined Tony Conigliaro (160), Jim Rice (133) and Ted Williams (127) as the only players to hit 100 or more homers with the Red Sox before turning 26.

Brock Holt added a two-run single and Sandy León capped a four-run first with an RBI single off Hammel, who gave up two-run homers to J.D. Martinez -- his 27th of the season -- and Xander Bogaerts in the second as the Red Sox stretched their lead to 8-0.

Betts has thrived against Royals pitching. He started the night with a .377 average vs. Kansas City, which ranked as the best among active hitters. When he previously saw the Royals on May 2, Betts went 4-for-4 with three homers at Fenway Park.