NEW YORK – The Yankees have spent most of their season living on the edge, leading the Majors in contests decided by two runs or fewer. That means it has been a steady diet of nail-biters, prompting manager Aaron Boone to recently remark that “nothing comes easy” for his club.
Due for a relaxed laugher, they couldn’t have ordered one up any better. Ben Rice homered for the third consecutive game and Cody Bellinger went deep twice in support of Will Warren’s sharp effort as the Yankees thumped the Royals, 13-4, on Saturday afternoon at Yankee Stadium.
Lefty masher Amed Rosario also homered as the Yankees defeated Kansas City for an eighth consecutive regular-season game, dating to the beginning of 2025.
Warren matched his career high with 11 strikeouts over seven innings, spinning six scoreless frames before Carter Jensen reached the right-field seats for a two-run homer in the seventh. The right-hander scattered five hits and did not walk a batter.
The Yankees have struggled against left-handed starting pitchers, losing four of six such games entering Saturday. They’ll see another on Sunday in Cole Ragans and more to follow next week in Boston, which makes for a good sign that they pounced on Noah Cameron in a five-run third inning, with Rosario, Bellinger and Rice all going deep.
J.C. Escarra contributed a run-scoring double in the fourth, adding a two-run triple in the seventh. The Yankees’ 14 games decided by two runs or fewer are the most in the Majors, including three victories this week that came in their final turn at bat.