Austin Wells hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in the seventh inning and drove in four runs as the New York Yankees opened a three-game series against the visiting Kansas City Royals with a 10-4 win on Monday.
Alex Verdugo added a two-run homer for New York (83-61), which tallied 12 hits and won for the third time in its past four games. Gleyber Torres had three hits and an RBI.
Kansas City (79-66) led 4-3 before the Yankees scored four runs in the seventh inning. With two runners on and one out, Aaron Judge singled in a run before Wells hit his three-run homer to right-center field against James McArthur (5-7).
Salvador Perez and Hunter Renfroe each homered for the Royals, who had their four-game winning streak snapped. Perez went 4-for-4 with three RBIs.
Yankees starter Carlos Rodon allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits to go along with one walk and nine strikeouts over six innings. Jake Cousins (2-1), Luke Weaver and Ian Hamilton each pitched one scoreless inning of relief.
New York drew clear with three runs in the eighth inning. Torres singled in a run and Verdugo scored on Judge’s double-play grounder. Wells capped the rally with a run-scoring double.
Kansas City capitalized on two errors to push a run across in the first inning. Tommy Pham began the game by reaching on third baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s throwing error.
After Bobby Witt Jr. struck out, Pham stole second base and moved to third on the play on a throwing error by catcher Wells before scoring on Perez’s single to center.
Perez added a solo homer with two outs in the third inning. The 422-foot blast was his 26th long ball of the season.
New York moved ahead with three runs in the fourth inning against Royals starter Brady Singer.
Jasson Dominguez, who was recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre before the game, manufactured a run after hitting a one-out single and advancing to second on Anthony Rizzo’s groundout. He scored on an errant throw while stealing third base.
Oswaldo Cabrera walked on the play and scored on Verdugo’s 12th homer of the year, a two-run shot to right-center field.
Singer allowed three runs on five hits over five innings. He walked three and struck out three.
The Royals tied the game at 3 with two outs in the fifth after Witt singled and scored on Perez’s bloop single to right field.
Renfroe put Kansas City ahead 4-3 with a leadoff blast in the sixth inning, his 13th homer this season.
–Field Level Media