The Yankees smashed three more home runs and scored double-digit runs for the second straight game as they beat the Royals, 11-5, on Wednesday night in Kansas City.
Here are the takeaways…
-The Yankees entered Wednesday’s game with the MLB lead in first-inning runs and increased that with a six-spot against Royals opener Dan Altavilla. The big hits were a two-run single by Alex Verdugo with the bases loaded, and a three-run blast from Jose Trevino to put the Yanks up 6-0 after one. The Yankees now have 57 first-inning runs this season.
Over the first three games of this series, the Yankees have scored 10 runs in the first inning.
-After going 0-for-14 in the Dodgers series, Giancarlo Stanton blasted his second home run in as many days. On Wednesday, Stanton launched a 449-foot homer over the fence in left-center. The slugger finished 2-for-5 and now has 17 home runs this season.
Tuesday, the Yankees hit three home runs (Stanton, Aaron Judge and Austin Wells) and they did it again on Wednesday. Trevino, Stanton and Gleyber Torres‘ three-run shot in the seventh gave the Yankees a trifecta.
–Cody Poteet was on the mound for the Yankees and pitched another solid game. The right-hander gave up two runs on four hits and three walks over 5.1 innings (88 pitches/52 strikes). He also struck out two batters. In four starts this season, Poteet has not given up more than two runs in any game.
After Poteet, the bullpen was shaky. The combination of Ian Hamilton and Tommy Kahnle allowed three runs to score in the seventh and it could have been more if not for a nice diving catch by Judge to end the inning.
Game MVP: Jose Trevino
While the other home runs wound up being important, Trevino’s three-run shot to put the Yankees up 6-0 gave them the breathing room they needed.
Highlights
What’s next
The Yankees wrap up their four-game series with the Royals on Thursday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 2:10 p.m.
Nestor Cortes (3-5, 3.68 ERA) is on the mound for the Yankees. the Royals will have Alec Marsh (5-3, 4.05 ERA) on the bump for Kansas City.
Daniel Miller is a sports fanatic who lives and breathes athletics. His coverage spans from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis for sports enthusiasts.
