Bronx, NY – Jose Guillen hit a home run in the top of the fifth inning to help lead the Kansas City Royals (42-55) to a 7-4 victory over the New York Yankees (61-35) in a sweltering Saturday afternoon game in the Bronx.
Kansas City starter Kyle Davies (5-6) pitched well in the win today going five and one-thirds innings giving up seven hits, four runs, three walks and three home runs while striking out three batters. Davies earned a win for the first time since May 28, 2010 in Boston.
“I felt fine earlier in the game; I made some really good pitches in the first three innings. Then I was just throwing in the fourth, fifth and sixth.” Kyle Davies said after the game. “I don’t know if it was because of the heat or excitement, but I just lost command of the fastball and there were some bad results.”
Manager Ned Yost agreed saying, “Well, Kyle was cruising up until he game up those two home runs and then he started to labor. He just got to a spot where he was trying to do too much instead of relaxing and pitch like he did over the first four innings.”
The sellout crowd of 41,138 anxiously awaited the 600th home run of Alex Rodriguez career instead sat through a rough first inning where starter Sergio Mitre (0-2) ran into trouble. Scott Podsednik laced a single to center field to get the Royals offense going. Jason Kendall was hit in the hand to set up runners on first and second for Billy Butler.
“My pitches today were up; I was falling behind the count too much.” Mitre said of his outing. “I didn’t feel rusty; I was fine it was just the location of my pitches today was up.”
Butler would hit into a fielder’s choice, which was played by Alex Rodriguez who tried to throw a bullet to Jorge Posada. Unfortunately the ball left the catcher’s glove to plate the first run of the game, as Butler advanced to second on that throw. Jose Guillen lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to make the score 2-0 in favor of the Royals. Both of the runs in that inning were unearned, due to the fielding error by Posada.
Catcher Jason Kendall who had two stolen bases (9) in the game hit a single to left field in the top of the third inning. Butler laced a single to left field to score the third Royals run. In the top of the fourth inning was when the Royals really broke the game open.
Alex Gordon started the top of the fourth with a walk to get the rally going. Wilson Betemit ripped a double (8) to center field to have runners on second and third for Rick Ankiel who placed a double (6) to right field, which made the score 5-0 Royals. Scott Podsednik hit a single to left field to plate Ankiel to give the Royals the 6-0 lead.
“It was nice to get to get some good pitches with the runners on base today,” Ankiel said of his big hit in the game. “I was able to put it in the gap and it helped us score some runs and get the win.”
In the bottom of that inning the Yankees finally broke through with two runs as Mark Teixeira started the inning off with a home run (19) to right field. Two batters later Jorge Posada laced a home run (12) to the same spot cutting the Royal lead to 6-2.
The top of the fifth inning Guillen would give the Royals the 7-2 lead by lifting a long home run (16) to left field above the Poland Spring sign. That was when manager Joe Girardi called for relief pitcher Dustin Moseley to stop the bleeding. Moseley did well for the Yankees going four and two-thirds innings and giving up one hit and one walk, while striking out one batter.
“Moseley did great for us today,” Jorge Posada said after the game. “He has a good idea of what he wants to do and I think he will be a guy who is going to help us.”
Joe Girardi agreed with his catcher saying, “That is the best Moseley has thrown for us all year.”
Curtis Granderson started the bottom of the fifth with a walk to set the stage for Mark Teixeira, who would lift a two-run home run (20) to center field into the bleacher creatures to cut the Royals lead to 7-4. Kansas City kept the Yankees off the board with great relief pitching from former Yankee Kyle Farnsworth, who was greeted with a loud chorus of boos. Along with Farnsworth the pitching of Robinson Tejeda and Joakim Soria kept the score at 7-4.
“When you are in a good streak you put good swings on good pitches, “ Teixeira said of his big two-home run day. “When you feel good you make good contact.”
Robinson Tejada had some of his best stuff today going two strong innings giving up one hit and striking out two batters. The reliever who had been struggling for most of the season was sensational in the bottom of the seventh inning.
“You just have to believe,” Tejada said of bouncing back. “When you have the opportunity to do something good you just have to believe in yourself. I believe in doing something good every day. I am going to go out and be aggressive and try to help the team win some games.”
The game wasn’t without drama as in the bottom of the ninth inning it seemed as if New York may mount a comeback. Derek Jeter hit a ground-rule double (18) which bounced into the right field stands. Curtis Granderson walked to start to stir the sellout crowd. Runners were on first and second for Mark Teixeira who looked like he beat out a ground ball at first, but was called as the final out in the game.
“It was a really close play (of Teixeria being called out in the bottom of the ninth) our guys thought he was safe. But he was called out and that is the end of it.” Girardi said after the game.
Teixeira said this of the close game, “There are no moral victories, when you are trying to win the division and lose a game you just need to make sure you come back and try to win tomorrow.”
Girardi was also upset with the close loss saying “Giving up those first three unearned runs really hurt us today.” He continued by saying, “We didn’t make the play at the plate and that helped them score two runs. Then Jason Kendall gets a walking lead to steal second and Butler gets the base hit before we get the next out, so we really gave them those three runs.”
Alex Rodriguez has one last opportunity to hit his historic 600th career home run in the Bronx tomorrow, as the Yankees try to take three-games out of this four-game set. Righty Phil Hughes (11-3, 3.99 ERA) takes on Sean O’Sullivan (1-0, 2.08) in the 1:05 p.m. game on Sunday.
Story originally posted on www.latinosports.com