The three-run homer broke open a nip-and-tuck game, and backed by a strong pitching performance by Dillon Gee, Kansas City went on to beat NY 8-5 to open their three-game series.
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Dillon Gee (6-7) allowed only four hits and a run in the latest impressive start by the Royals’ staff, helping the reigning World Series champions win for the 18th time in 22 games. Tanaka, who has issued just one walk while recording 30 strikeouts over 27 2/3 innings during his winning streak, escaped with a no-decision after surrendering six runs and seven hits – three homers – over seven frames on May 10 in his only career start against Kansas City.Volquez’s unbeaten streak reached four starts on Thursday as he limited the Marlins to two unearned runs and three hits over five innings in a victory at Miami. Pineda then went on his blistering streak before getting in a two-on, no-outs jam in the seventh that led to Alcides Escobar’s three-run homer off reliever Blake Parker. Kansas City added another on an RBI single by Eric Hosmer off Kirby Yates, and the seven-run lead was too much for the Yankee offense to overcome despite one close call – a sacrifice fly by Starlin Castro that Alex Gordon caught one step in front of the left field fence with two runners on – and two opportunities for the Yankees to tie the game. But Pineda followed that inning with five flawless innings, including seven strikeouts – he would finish with eight overall – before allowing singles to the first two batters he faced in the seventh, prompting Girardi to go to his increasingly unreliable middle-relievers. “It’s a really good lineup”. He is the first Yankees pitcher with back-to-back scoreless starts of at least seven innings since Hiroki Kuroda on July 25 and July 31, 2013. The Kansas City Royals offense has been on fire during their stretch, and they’ve won 11 straight games when scoring more than three runs.
Yankees manager Joe Girardi did not complete nine innings Monday.
“Two different strike zones”, Girardi said. In the eighth, Didi Gregorius hit a two-run RBI double, Castro hit a SAC Fly and Chase Headley hit a RBI single. I’m frustrated by it.
Before the game, Girardi said, “We scratch our heads sometimes”.
The Yankees have lost two in a row and remain 3.5 games out of the second wild card. “Even the broadcasters were talking about it in the eighth and ninth inning”. I don’t know if you give the catcher’s credit. “A$3 1-0 [count] is a lot different than 0-and-1 a lot of times and it’s frustrating because these games mean a lot”.
A catcher’s interference – for Jacoby Ellsbury, of course – walk and hit batter loaded the bases with no outs.
The Royals acquired INF/OF Daniel Nava from the Angels for a player to be named or cash considerations. He is not on the Angels’ 40-man roster and will be assigned to Triple-A Omaha.
In his third full week in the majors, Sanchez managed to accomplish something that no MLB rookie had previously done by capturing a second straight Player of the Week award. On Monday he won it again, after hitting.522 with five homers from August 22 to 28.
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Royals RHP Luke Hochevar said he experienced “instant relief” after surgery for symptoms of thoracic outlet syndrome. “The swelling, the coldness is gone”, he said. Edinson Volquez takes the hill, and he’s 10-10 with a 4.88 ERA and 114 strikeouts this season.
