Yost willing to pitch Holland a third straight day

NEW YORK -- The situation didn't call for it on Wednesday night, but manager Ned Yost said before the Royals' 8-1 loss to the Yankees that he would have no reservations about calling on Greg Holland to close out a third consecutive game despite Holland's having pitched in three of the last four days entering the game.

Along with recording a save in each of the first two games of this week's series against the Yankees, Holland closed out Kansas City's 4-3 win over the Athletics on Saturday.

The 27-year-old right-hander has converted 15 consecutive saves over a stretch that spans more than two months. Since his last blown save, which he took on May 6, Holland has allowed just two earned runs over 23 innings (a 0.78 ERA), lowering his ERA on the season nearly two runs from 3.75 to 1.80.

"He's dynamite," Yost said. "He's a guy that you can bring into the ballgame and feel real comfortable about that game ending right there. But he was like that last year, too. He just continues to produce."

Last season, Holland went 7-4 with a 2.96 ERA and 16 saves, while making 67 appearances in various roles out of the Royals bullpen. In 2011, his first extended action in the Majors, Holland posted a 1.80 ERA over 46 appearances.