The Kansas City Royals are back in playoff position thanks to a pair of MLB All-Stars

It’s a few days before the MLB All-Star Break, so perhaps it’s a tad early to be talking about playoff positioning.

But the Royals’ 6-1 win Friday night over the Red Sox pulled them back into a playoff spot. The Royals and Red Sox are tied for the third Wild Card in the American League.

The Royals offense used a Swiss Army Knife approach on Friday.

Three singles and a sacrifice fly produced the game’s first run in the first inning. The Royals took advantage of an error, walk and hit batsman to push three unearned runs across in the next frame.

Then they lowered the boom, hitting a pair of homers.

That included a 429-foot shot that shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. launched in the fourth inning.

Some nights it seems there’s nothing Witt can’t do, and this time he hit one to a pair of Royals employees. Maritza Chavez, an account manager, came away with the ball and was a tad excited.

That was coincidental, of course. But Witt is headed to next week’s All-Star Game with three teammates, including Cole Ragans, who was sensational on Friday.

Here are more highlights from Friday night’s game...

Dominant Cole Ragans

Ragans limited the Red Sox to a run over seven innings and he struck out seven. Red Sox hitters were off kept off-balance all night by Ragans’ pitches. He had 23 swing and misses.

That was Ragans’ second-highest total of the season, just behind the 25 he recorded last month against the Marlins.

Working Red Sox starter Cooper Criswell

The Royals’ first seven hits were all singles, including two that had an exit velocity under 80 mph. They hit a pair of sacrifice flies, and twice made Red Sox starter Cooper Criswell throw nine pitches in a plate appearance. One of those batters was Kyle Isbel, who drew a pair of walks.

Through the first two innings, the Royals were 3 for 5 with runners in scoring position, making the most of their opportunities.

Criswell threw 104 pitches in just six innings.

MJ Melendez mashing

Left fielder MJ Melendez had two hits, including an eighth-inning homer. It was his third home run in his last four games.

Boston entered Friday’s game with baseball’s best record since May 19 (29-17) and had won 18 of its previous 25 games.

But the Royals slowed the Sox on Friday.

The Royals have now won four straight and improved to 52-43. A year ago, they won 56 games.

What’s next: The Royals will face the Red Sox two more times before closing out the first half of the season. Seth Lugo will be on the mound Saturday, facing Kutter Crawford. First pitch is scheduled for 3:10 p.m.