New York Yankees 5 – Kansas City Royals 4 (10 innings)
After losing the first game, the Yankees needed to get back on the winning track.
In the first inning, the Yankees came up empty against Edinson Volquez. Brett Gardner and Jacoby Ellsbury got on base but a strike out of Gary Sanchez held the runners. Then, Gardner was thrown out between third and home for the second out of the inning. Starlin Castro grounding out ended the inning despite the good start.
In the second inning, Brian McCann reached with a single. With one out, Aaron Judge made an impact with his third home run of the season, a two-run blast to left field that put the Yankees ahead by two.
The inning continued with two-out offense as well. After a two-out walk of Brett Gardner, Jacoby Ellsbury went the other way with a run-scoring double that put the Yankees ahead by three.
The Yankees added a fourth run on a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded by Chase Headley. Masahiro Tanaka retired the first eight in a row but a two-out single in the third inning With Raul Mondesi on first base, Jarrod Dyson went to right field for a run-scoring triple as he flew around the bases. The Royals added a second run in the fourth inning when Kendrys Morales went deep but Tanaka kept the damage to one, maintaining a two-run lead.
In the fifth inning, Brett Gardner flexed his defensive talents. Alcides Escobar hit a single to left and he tried extending it to a double but Gardner threw him out at second. Christian Colon followed with a deep fly ball to left but Brett Gardner denied him a base hit with a great catch too.
In a five-inning start, shortened by rain, Masahiro Tanaka allowed two runs on four hits with no walks and four strikeouts.
Needing four innings from the bullpen, Adam Warren was the first call. After Dyson reached on an infield single, Lorenzo Cain brought him home with a double to right field. Tommy Layne came on in hopes of providing relief and got the first out but he hit Morales with a pitch. Tyler Clippard came in next to provide efficient relief. On just two pitches, Clippard generated an around-the-horn double play from Salvador Perez, ending the inning and retaining a one-run lead.
Tyler Clippard got through the seventh inning and the Yankees tried to get the eighth inning too. Clippard was replaced in the game after a lead off walk to Lorenzo Cain started the eighth. Closer Dellin Betances entered the game and immediately gave up a stolen base which was compounded with an error by Sanchez trying to throw Cain out. With Cain on third, Kendrys Morales’ fly ball to center field easily scored him to tie the game at four.
A scoreless ninth inning called for extra innings. Against Joakim Soria, Brian McCann went the other way, hitting a single to left field. Aaron Hicks replaced him on the bases and moved on to second base after Chase Headley hit a single. Aaron Judge and Tyler Austin struck out for the first two outs but Brett Gardner and Jacoby Ellsbury picked up the rookies. Following a walk of Gardner, Jacoby Ellsbury hit a single deflected by Soria that scored Hicks as the go-ahead run.
Rookie Ben Heller was tasked with the save opportunity in the 10th inning. An inauspicious start began when he hit Raul Mondesi with a pitch. Mondesi stole second base and advanced to third on the single by Dyson. The speedy Dyson proceeded to steal second base. With one out, Eric Hosmer was given the intentional walk for a force out at every base. Chasen Shreve entered the bases-loaded jam with the game on the line and shut the door. After a strikeout of Kendrys Morales, Chasen Shreve got Salvador Perez to fly out to strand the bases loaded and end the game with a win in extra innings.
Win – Dellin Betances (3-4)
Loss – Joakim Soria (4-6)
Save – Chasen Shreve (1)
Notables
Yankees
*Jacoby Ellsbury – 4 for 6, 2B, 2 RBI (45)
*Aaron Judge – 1 for 5, R, Two-run home run (3) in the 2nd, 2 RBI (9)
Royals
*Jarrod Dyson – 3 for 5, R, 3B, RBI (18)
*Kendrys Morales – 1 for 3, R, Solo home run (21) in the 4th, 2 RBI (61)
Current Yankees Record: 68-63
