Royals Rough Up Schilling, Red Sox

One of the major leagues’ best pitchers sent researchers scrambling through the archives Thursday night trying to figure out if anybody had ever yielded so many extra-base hits.

The answer, to Curt Schilling’s chagrin, was no. At least not in the American League.

Boston’s six-time All-Star got cuffed around for a shocking 10 extra-base hits -- nine doubles and a home run -- as the Kansas City Royals rallied for a 5-4 victory and a three-game sweep.

That ties the league record set by Washington’s Dale Gear in 1901 and equaled by Cleveland’s Luis Tiant -- while facing Boston -- in 1969.

The major league record is 16 by Buffalo’s George Derby in 1883.

“I don’t know if there’s any in-depth explanation other than I didn’t get the job done when I had to make the pitches,” Schilling said. “I felt fine. I felt fine.

“I think I gave up 11 hits ... I didn’t give up a single till the last hit of the game.”

The victory gave the Royals, the worst team in the majors, a three-game sweep and sent the Red Sox to their fifth consecutive loss.

The Royals celebrated their first three-game home sweep of the Red Sox in 15 years. Boston hadn’t lost five in a row since 2004.

Boston’s Manny Ramirez singled in his first two at-bats and extended his career-best hitting streak to 25 games, second only to Chase Utley’s 35-gamer in the majors this year. He is hitting .402 during the streak.