CLEVELAND (AP) — Jorge Bonifacio couldn’t stop smiling after leading the Kansas Royals to a comeback victory over the Cleveland Indians on Friday night.

Not only did his two-run double in the eighth inning give the Royals a 6-4 victory, the clutch hit came off relief ace Andrew Miller. It doesn’t get much better for a rookie in his second month as a big leaguer.

“It feels amazing,” Bonifacio said. “To have the game-winning hit against one of the best relievers in the game right now, that’s great for us.”

The Royals entered the game with the lowest winning percentage in the AL, but rallied from an early 4-0 deficit. Brandon Moss hit a three-run homer in the fourth and Mike Moustakas’ solo home run in the fifth tied the game.

“It was a great comeback win, down four and the guys kept fighting back,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “Bonny’s double was key and was a great at-bat. We’re down 4-0, then Mossy did a nice job on his home run.”

Shortstop Francisco Lindor’s fielding error placed runners on first and third before Bonifacio’s clutch hit.

“It’s on me, man,” Lindor said. “Today’s loss is on me. I messed up. I know it’s not my first time and it won’t be my last, but stuff like that can’t happen.”

Lorenzo Cain started the winning rally with a single off Bryan Shaw (1-1). Miller got Eric Hosmer to hit a ground ball, but Lindor booted a backhand attempt for his fourth error of the season.

“It ends up being a really big play obviously,” Indians manager Terry Francona said of the 23-year-old shortstop. “Sometimes because he’s been so good we forget he’s so young.”

Miller retired Salvador Perez on a foul out, but Bonifacio’s double to left-center on an 0-2 pitch scored both runners.

“The first pitch, I was looking for his fastball,” Bonifacio said. “After that, I was looking breaking ball all the way.”

Mike Minor (2-1) pitched two scoreless innings. Joakim Soria struck out Edwin Encarnacion with runners on second and third to end the eighth. Kelvin Herrera allowed a two-out single in the ninth, but struck out pinch-hitter Austin Jackson for his 10th save.

Jose Ramirez hit a two-out homer in the second. Lindor, Michael Brantley and Carlos Santana had RBI in Cleveland’s three-run third, but starter Mike Clevinger couldn’t hold the lead.

Both homers came off Clevinger, who is replacing injured staff ace Corey Kluber in the rotation.

Both teams were rained out Thursday — the Indians at home against Cincinnati and the Royals in New York. Clevinger and Royals starter Ian Kennedy had their starts moved back a day.

Clevinger allowed four runs in five-plus innings and a change could be coming soon in Cleveland’s rotation. Kluber made his first minor league rebab start Friday, throwing five scoreless innings for Double-A Akron.

Kennedy allowed four runs in five innings and remained winless since Sept. 11.

For the second time this month, a squirrel ran on the field but play was not interrupted. The squirrel scurried around the outfield during the bottom of the sixth before being shooed through a doorway in the center field wall by ballpark workers after the inning.

TOUGH OUTING

Being unable to hold the lead was the most disappointing part of the night for Clevinger.

“It feels like you’re letting down your family in there (the clubhouse),” he said. “They had something going and I slowed it down. Not just slowed it down but gave up the lead.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: LHP Scott Alexander (strained right hamstring) began a rehab assignment at Triple-A Omaha. The reliever has been on the 10-day DL since May 9.

Indians: Jackson (strained left toe) was activated from the 10-day DL on Friday. He was out since May 2.

UP NEXT

Royals: LHP Jason Vargas makes his 10th start of the season, his most since 2014.

Indians: RHP Danny Salazar will pitch on five days’ rest as a result of Thursday’s rainout.

— Associated Press —

NEW YORK — The scheduled game between the Kansas City Royals and New York Yankees has been postponed by rain.

The announcement was made on a wet Thursday morning in New York City about five hours before the teams were supposed to play the finale of a four-game series. The local forecast called for inclement weather much of the day.

Instead, the game will be made up Sept. 25 at Yankee Stadium at the start of New York’s final regular-season homestand. The Royals will go from a weekend series against the White Sox in Chicago to New York for the make-up game, then to Kansas City for the start of its regular-season-ending homestand.

Right-hander Miguel Almonte had been slated to get his first major league start for the Royals. He made nine relief appearances two years ago.

Struggling ace Masahiro Tanaka had been lined up to start for New York.

— Associated Press —

NEW YORK (AP) — Helped by a great first-inning catch that forced center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury from the game with a concussion and sprained neck, Luis Severino won for the first time in a month and led the New York Yankees over the Kansas City Royals 3-0 on Wednesday night.

On the first pitch of the game, Ellsbury sprinted 107 feet and raised his glove above his head to catch Alcides Escobar’s fly. Ellsbury’s head jarred into the wall as the ball landed in his glove, and he crumpled to the field.

Ellsbury was checked by manager Joe Girardi and head athletic trainer Steve Donohue and remained in the game, then was replaced by Aaron Hicks starting the second. Girardi said Ellsbury will go on the seven-day concussion disabled list.

Didi Gregorius homered against Jason Hammel (1-6) leading off the third inning, Gregorius’ seventh hit in a span of 12 at-bats. New York tacked on runs with Matt Holliday’s sacrifice fly in the sixth and Brett Gardner’s RBI single over a drawn-in infield in the seventh.

His fastball reaching 99 mph, Severino (3-2) allowed four hits over eight innings, struck out seven, walked one and threw a career-high 114 pitches. Severino, who lowered his ERA to 3.11, had been 0-1 in four outings since beating Boston on April 26.

This year has been quite a turnaround for the 23-year-old right-hander, who lasted only seven starts last season before going to the disabled list and then the minors with an 0-6 record and 7.46 ERA.

Dellin Betances struck out the side in a perfect ninth for his fourth save as the Royals were shut out for a major league-high fifth time.

Hammel, working entirely from the stretch for his fourth straight start, gave up three runs, six hits and two walks in six-plus innings. Hammel, whose 1.69 WHIP is second-worst to Baltimore’s Kevin Gausman among qualified starters, had not pitched since allowing five runs over six innings in a 7-1 loss to the Yankees on May 16. He started with a nine-pitch first innings — all strikes.

FAN HURT

A boy about seven rows behind the third-base dugout was hit on the head by part of Chris Carter’s bat, which shattered on a seventh-inning grounder. Medical personnel carried out the boy, who appeared to have a leg that was in a brace. Yankees spokesman Jason Zillo said the fan got first aid at the ballpark and was receiving medical attention elsewhere, but did not disclose where.

RARITY

Gary Sanchez singled leading off the sixth and scored on Holliday’s fly after stealing second and advancing on a wild throw by Salvador Perez, the All-Star catcher’s first error since Aug. 25 against Miami.

HE’S BACK

Royals LF Alex Gordon went 1 for 3 with two strikeouts after missing three games for the birth of daughter Joey Lynn.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: RHP Nate Karns was put on the 10-day DL because of nerve irritation in his pitching arm, a move retroactive to Sunday.

Yankees: LHP Aroldis Chapman (shoulder) hopes to start throwing Saturday.

UP NEXT

RHP Masahiro Tanaka (5-3), who has allowed 14 runs and seven homers over 4 2/3 innings in his last two starts, starts for New York in Thursday’s series finale. RHP Miguel Almonte makes his first big league start for the Royals following nine relief appearances two years ago.

— Associated Press —

NEW YORK (AP) — Danny Duffy noticed a flaw in his delivery a few weeks ago: His front hip was opening too soon and he was yanking pitches.

“Obviously, it takes more than 30 pitches in a side session,” he said. “Repetition is everything.”

Duffy’s mechanics seemed fixed.

Duffy defeated the New York Yankees for the second time in a six-day span and rookie Jorge Bonifacio capped a three-run, seventh-inning rally with a go-ahead, two-run homer that led the Kansas City Royals to a 6-2 victory Tuesday night.

All scoring came on home runs. Lorenzo Cain , Whit Merrifield and Mike Moustakas also connected for the Royals, who went deep four times in a span of nine batters in the seventh and eighth.

“You don’t have to manufacture runs when you can put some swings like that on the board,” Royals manager Ned Yost said.

New York rookie Jordan Montgomery took a one-hit shutout and 2-0 lead into the seventh before a solo homer by Cain, who had been hitless in 14 at-bats.

On the 22nd anniversary of Mariano Rivera’s major league debut, the Yankees’ usually reliable bullpen flopped: Adam Warren (1-1), Jonathan Holder and Chasen Shreve all allowed long balls.

Home runs by Aaron Hicks in the fourth and Chris Carter in the fifth staked New York to a 2-0 lead against Duffy (4-3). The 28-year-old left-hander struck out 10 in seven scoreless innings to beat Montgomery in Kansas City last week, and Duffy got a key out in the fifth Tuesday when Starlin Castro stranded the bases loaded with an inning-ending flyout.

Duffy gave up two runs and six hits, struck out seven and walked two, his fastball ticking up to 96 mph — about 2 mph above his average this year. Kansas City’s opening-day starter, he had been 0-3 in his previous five outings before reviving against the Yankees.

New York put two on against Joakim Soria in the eighth, and first baseman Eric Hosmer leaped to snag Chase Headley’s two-out liner. Jacoby Ellsbury bounced into a game-ending double play when umpire Roberto Ortiz ruled Carter ran out of the baseline to avoid Merrifield’s tag before the second baseman threw to first.

“It’s just a poor call. I don’t know how he calls that,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said, maintaining Carter remained on the dirt near the infield grass

In the best of his eight big-league starts, Montgomery began 17 of 22 batters with strikes and walked none for the first time, although he did get four warning-track flyouts.

“I was moving in and out, throwing a two-seamer and fastballs up, and going off of that offspeed,” Montgomery said. “I haven’t really wavered on confidence. I know what I can do.”

Warren relieved with two outs in the seventh, and Salvador Perez singled to right, just over the outstretched glove of a leaping Castro.

“We just felt I don’t want someone tired facing Salvador Perez,” Girardi said.

Bonifacio hit an opposite-field drive into the right-field seats on the next pitch.

“I just left a fastball up in the zone a little bit and he put a good swing on it,” Warren said. “Monty threw great, so you hate to kind of take that away from him.”

Bonifacio has six homers, including four in his last five games. He made his big league debut April 21.

“The kid’s been here for 10 years if he’s been here for a month,” Duffy said.

Merrifield connected off Holder leading off the eighth, and Moustakas greeted Shreve later in the inning with his 11th homer, a two-run drive down the right-field line.

“It kind of came back fair, almost. It was pretty weird,” Moustakas said. “I wish I could do it with a 7-iron.”

HEADED BACK

Royals OF Alex Gordon was due back in New York late Tuesday following the birth of daughter Joey Lynn, and Yost said Gordon will be available to play Wednesday.

MOVIN’ ON UP

Gleyber Torres started at third base for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, and the 20-year-old went 1 for 3 with a single, walk and strikeout against Columbus in his Triple-A debut. “I know sometimes it feels like you’re a long ways away, but things can happen really quickly in this game,” Girardi said.

GOING DOWN

Kansas City sent RHP Al Alburquerque outright to Triple-A Omaha.

STREAKING

Yankees backup C Austin Romine was 0 for 3 and is hitless in 19 at-bats.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Yankees: 1B Greg Bird, who hasn’t played since May 1 because of a bone bruise in his right ankle, took grounders Tuesday for the first time since going on the DL. He expects to head to Tampa, Florida, on Sunday for extended spring training and then a minor league injury rehabilitation assignment. Bird, who missed 2016 following shoulder surgery, was just 6 for 60 with one homer and three RBI before going on the DL.

UP NEXT

RHP Luis Severino (2-2) starts Wednesday for the Yankees and RHP Jason Hammel (1-5) for the Royals.

— Associated Press —

NEW YORK (AP) — At this rate, the New York Yankees might want to build a rooting space for Brett Gardner, too.

Gardner kept up his power surge from the leadoff spot, and Didi Gregorius and Chris Carter also homered Monday night as the Yankees beat Jason Vargas again in a 4-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals.

Before the game, the Yankees debuted a new fan section for rookie slugger Aaron Judge — The Judge’s Chambers, with 18 people wearing black judicial robes with his No. 99 in a faux jury box behind his spot in right field.

While Judge went 0 for 3, Gardner hit his ninth home run in the last 21 games, lining a solo drive in the third inning. The leadoff man didn’t have an RBI in the Yankees’ first 18 games.

“Just been consistent at the plate,” he said.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi smiled at the prospect of a place set aside for Gardner.

“He’s had a big cheering section for a long time,” he said. “Would you make them `Gardeners?”

Judge said it wasn’t such a far-fetched idea.

“It might be coming next, you don’t know,” he said, smiling.

A reversed call in the seventh kept the Yankees ahead and enabled Michael Pineda (5-2) to top Vargas for the second time in a week. The Royals, with the worst record in the AL, have lost five of seven.

Vargas (5-3) began the day with a 2.03 ERA, tied for second-best in the majors. But the lefty fell to 0-7 lifetime against the Yankees when he was tagged by Gardner and Gregorius, the only left-handed hitters in New York’s lineup.

Last week, Vargas lost to Pineda and the Yankees 11-7 in Kansas City.

“I definitely felt like I was able to make pitches tonight and I wasn’t wasting pitches, like I did last time out,” Vargas said.

“But, when you come off the field and you’re losing the ballgame, you didn’t do your job.”

The Royals trailed 3-2 in the seventh and had a runner on second with two outs. Alcides Escobar hit a grounder that second baseman Starlin Castro fielded behind the bag before making a one-hop throw to Carter at first.

Umpire Marvin Hudson ruled safe and when Carter briefly turned around to look at him, Jorge Soler kept running and slid home ahead of a late throw. The Yankees challenged the call and were right, taking the apparent tying run off the board.

Carter quickly made up for his near-miscue, hitting a solo homer in the bottom half.

Pineda gave up two runs in 6 1/3 innings. Dellin Betances worked the ninth for his third save.

Gregorius got his sixth straight hit, a two-run drive into the second deck for a 3-2 lead in the fourth.

Jorge Bonifacio hit a leadoff homer in the third and the Royals added another run that inning on an RBI double by Escobar.

CLEANUP MAN

Girardi was in the dugout while coaches were exchanging the lineup cards when he suddenly was summoned by umpire crew chief Jerry Layne. Moments later, Girardi was wiping dirt off the dish.

Girardi was ejected last weekend at Tampa Bay during an animated argument that included him covering the plate with dirt. This time, Layne — who’s known the skipper since the days when he was a big league catcher — playfully told Girardi that he’d “set a bad example” for kids and “that I should clean the plate.”

SKIDDING

The Royals went 0 for 10 with runners in scoring position and are 1 for 30 in those situations during their four-game road trip.

HAVING HOPE

The Yankees began their ninth annual HOPE Week, when every player on the team takes part in events that honor people and groups who serve their community. The Yankees happen to be 29-10 during HOPE Weeks, and have won 17 of the last 19.

MOVING UP

Prized Yankees prospect Gleyber Torres has moved up to Triple-A. The 20-year-old infielder hit .273 with five homers in 32 games at Double-A. “We have a lot of belief in him,” Girardi said.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals LF Alex Gordon and wife Jamie welcomed their third child, daughter Joey Lynn. Gordon missed his third game while on the paternity list.

UP NEXT

Royals: LHP Danny Duffy (3-3, 2.97 ERA) beat the Yankees with seven scoreless innings last Thursday in Kansas City, striking out 10.

Yankees: LHP Jordan Montgomery (2-3, 4.81) gave up five runs over five innings in the loss to Duffy.

— Associated Press —

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Adalberto Mejia made the most of his brief stint back in the majors with the Minnesota Twins by getting his first big-league win.

Robbie Grossman, Max Kepler and Chris Gimenez all homered to help Mejia and the Twins beat the Kansas City Royals 8-4 in the second game Sunday to salvage a split of a doubleheader.

Mejia (1-1) was the Twins’ 26th active player for the second game and allowed three runs in seven innings, on two home runs by Salvador Perez — who also went deep in the first game.

Mejia’s reward for his first win? A trip back to Triple-A Rochester.

“I’m going to go down there and work on the things they told me work on,” Mejia said through interpreter Carlos Font. “Then it will be up to them to see when I get back.”

Grossman and Kepler each hit two-run homers in the first inning, and Brian Dozier had an RBI double in the second off Ian Kennedy (0-4) in his first game back from the disabled list.

Brandon Moss hit two of Kansas City’s four home runs in the opener of the doubleheader, and Perez and Jorge Bonifacio each hit two-run homers to lead the Royals to a 6-4 win earlier in the day.

With the split, the Twins are now 7-1 on the year against the Royals. Kansas City’s win in the first game snapped a seven-game losing streak against Minnesota.

Kennedy, who returned after missing time with a hamstring strain, said he felt fine physically. He walked three batters and gave up a pair of two-run homers in just two innings Sunday.

“He was way out of whack,” manager Ned Yost said. “His leg was fine. He felt normal, felt good. Just timing was off, rhythm was off.”

MINOR’S WIN

Mike Minor’s road back to the majors was not an easy one. Shoulder surgery kept him out of the majors for two years and resulted in a move to the bullpen.

Minor got his first victory since 2014 with 1 1/3 scoreless innings of relief in the first game Sunday. He relieved Jake Junis with a 5-2 lead in the fifth, two outs and two on. The 29-year-old left-hander walked Max Kepler, then retired Kennys Vargas on a popup. Minor retired the side in order in the sixth.

Minor had surgery to repair a torn labrum in his pitching shoulder in May 13, 2015, and did not appear in the major leagues in 2015 and 2016. Minor, who signed a $7.25 million, two-year contract with the Royals in February 2016, got his first major league victory since Aug. 28, 2014, for Atlanta.

JUNIS’ FIRST START

Kansas City’s Jake Junis, a 24-year-old right-hander, was recalled from Triple-A Omaha and made his first big league start after a pair of relief appearances. He allowed two runs, five hits and four walks in 4 2/3 innings, leaving after RBI singles from Brian Dozier and Miguel Sano.

Junis found out Saturday that he would be making his first career start. He didn’t pitch deep enough to get the win, but impressed manager Ned Yost before the Royals optioned Junis back to Omaha after the game.

“I thought he did a nice job,” Yost said. “We tried to get him through that fifth inning, but we needed to win this game.”

ROYALS MOVES

Kansas City left fielder Alex Gordon missed the second game to join his wife, who is due to give birth on Monday. Infielder Raul Mondesi replacing Gordon on the roster but was optioned to Triple-A Omaha after the game. That means LHP Miguel Almonte, initially the Royals’ 26th active player Sunday, remains on the 25-man roster. … RHP Al Alburquerque was designated for assignment to make room on the roster for Junis.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: RHP Nate Karns had his pitching arm evaluated after Friday’s start against Minnesota. Manager Ned Yost said fluid was found in the elbow area but Karns does not have a strain. Karns exited his start Friday after five innings and threw just 72 pitches due to stiffness in his arm.

Twins: RHP Phil Hughes was placed on the 10-day disabled list Sunday with shoulder discomfort. Hughes took the loss in the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader. Right-hander Kyle Gibson will take Hughes’ place on the roster.

UP NEXT

Royals: LHP Jason Vargas (5-2, 2.03 ERA) starts Monday’s series opener at the New York Yankees.

Twins: RHP Kyle Gibson (0-4, 8.20 ERA) will be recalled from Triple-A Rochester to start Monday against Baltimore.

— Associated Press —

MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Twins have postponed their game against the Kansas City Royals because of rain, prompting a doubleheader to finish the series.

The team made the announcement about an hour before the scheduled first pitch on Saturday afternoon, with the forecast predicting uninterrupted rain in the area for the rest of the day.

The Twins and Royals will play a straight doubleheader on Sunday, with one admission for fans. The makeup game will begin 30 minutes after the end of the regularly scheduled game at 1:10 p.m. local time.

Pitching has led to much uncertainty for both teams.

Minnesota will start Phil Hughes (4-2, 5.23 ERA) in the first game on Sunday. The team has announced rookie Adalberto Mejia (0-1, 5.79) will start the makeup game, but Mejia has not been added to the active roster yet.

The Twins have waited to make a roster move because of the weather and Mejia could be added as the 26th player for the doubleheader.

Minnesota also has to decide on a starter for Monday after the schedule was interrupted because of a postponement Wednesday, which was made up in a Thursday doubleheader.

This was Minnesota’s fifth postponement of the season, with three at home. One of those was at Kansas City on April 29, a game rescheduled for a doubleheader with the Royals on July 1.

Kansas City will start Ian Kennedy (0-3, 3.03) in the second game on Sunday, but Kennedy also hasn’t been added to the active roster. He’s been on the disabled list since May 5 with a right hamstring strain.

“He’s good to go, but we’ll wait,” Royals manager Ned Yost said Friday.

Yost also added that Friday’s starter, Nate Karns, would undergo more tests after leaving Friday’s game with stiffness in the top of his pitching arm.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Danny Duffy knew his stumbling Royals desperately needed a win, so the left-hander showed up at Kauffman Stadium on Thursday night and began telling jokes and getting people laughing.

Anything to loosen them up.

Turned out Duffy had the last laugh.

He tossed seven innings of three-hit ball, Mike Moustakas hit a three-run homer and the Royals beat the New York Yankees 5-1 to avoid a three-game sweep.

“We’ve been in a little bit of a rut,” said Duffy (3-3), who struck out a season-best 10 while walking two and earning his first win since April 14. “I just wanted to get positive vibes going.”

Duffy, who had been 0-3 with two no-decisions in his last five starts, was lifted after 108 pitches. Mike Minor handled the eighth and Kelvin Herrera surrendered a run in the ninth.

“Danny was just on the attack all night,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “He kept his pitch count down and really gave us seven strong innings.”

The Royals scored twice in the second off Jordan Montgomery (2-3) before Moustakas deposited his pitch into the bullpen in right in the fifth inning to break the game open.

Montgomery surrendered four hits and three walks over five innings.

“I’m just a 24-year-old with eight starts in my big league career and I’m trying to learn,” he said. “I know the fans expect more from me and I expect more from myself. I’ve got to do better.”

The Royals jumped ahead in the second thanks in part to the Yankees’ inability to turn a double play. They had runners on first and second when Jorge Soler sent a grounder to third base. The Yankees got the force at second but couldn’t convert the relay, keeping the inning alive.

Whit Merrifield and Drew Butera followed with RBI singles for a 2-0 lead.

Montgomery proceeded to set down the next seven batters he faced before Merrifield’s leadoff single in the fifth. Butera grounded into a fielder’s choice, Alcides Escobar walked and Moustakas sent the first pitch he saw into the bullpen in right for a three-run homer.

Meanwhile, Duffy was dodging all sorts of trouble.

After retiring his first nine batters, six by strikeout, Jacoby Ellsbury reached base with a well-timed bunt. He was initially called out but replays showed first baseman Eric Hosmer pulled his foot off the bag, and the call was overturned with Ellsbury getting a hit.

Duffy walked Matt Holliday later in the inning before escaping the jam.

“When you see a slider, you can always see the spin, but on his slider I didn’t see,” Yankees second baseman Starlin Castro said. “He don’t make too many mistakes.”

The left-hander also put two runners aboard leading off the fifth, one on an error by Moustakas and the other with a walk. But a double play and strikeout ended that inning without a run.

Duffy stranded a runner on third by striking out Aaron Hicks to end his night.

“You’re going to run into guys that have got good stuff and they’re on. On certain nights it’s going to be tough to put a lot up against them,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “We had a couple of chances, but weren’t able to get hits in those chances. Duffy did a really good job.”

STATS AND STREAKS

The Yankees were 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position. … New York had scored at least seven runs in each of its last four games. … The Royals avoided their first home sweep by the Yankees since May 10-12, 2013. … Kansas City committed two errors for the first time this season.

A-ROD’S DEBUT

Alex Rodriguez made his color commentating debut as Fox Sports broadcast the game. The former Yankees slugger chatted before the game with Girardi, who spent time broadcasting before becoming a manager. “The biggest thing as a broadcaster is you have to tell the story through your eyes. Don’t try to be something you’re not,” Girardi said. “The way you understood the game is the way you can probably tell the story the best.”

UP NEXT

Yankees RHP Luis Severino will start Friday night’s series opener at Tampa Bay. The 23-year-old Severino has pitched well enough for the Yankees to win three of his last four starts.

Royals RHP Nate Karns takes the mound as Kansas City begins a 10-game trip in Minnesota, where they were swept to start the season. The Royals were also swept by the Twins in a rain-shortened two-game set at Kauffman Stadium. Karns had a career-high 12 strikeouts against Baltimore his last time out.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Aaron Hicks hit a three-run homer to cap a five-run fourth inning, the Yankees piled up 16 hits and New York rolled to an 11-7 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday night.

Michael Pineda (4-2) allowed three runs and six hits with two walks over six-plus innings. The big right-hander was shaky throughout but good enough to win for only the second time in 16 road starts.

The Yankees teed off on Jason Vargas (5-2), who came into the game with a major league-leading 1.01 ERA. The left-hander allowed as many earned runs in the fourth as he had in his first seven starts combined, and was lifted after allowing six runs on seven hits and two walks in four innings.

Vargas had been unbeaten in his last 10 home starts.

Then again, maybe his abysmal night shouldn’t have been that much of a surprise. Vargas has never beaten the Yankees in nine starts and 10 outings, going 0-6 with a 7.15 ERA.

Starlin Castro had three hits and drove in a run. Brett Gardner and Didi Gregorius each had two hits and two RBI. In fact, the only Yankees without a hit by the fifth inning were Matt Holliday and Aaron Judge, and all Judge had done was draw a pair of walks and score both times.

Holliday and Judge promptly got their base hits in the sixth.

Salvador Perez hit a two-run homer and Whit Merrifield also went deep for Kansas City, which scored three times in the ninth to make the final score more respectable.

The Yankees entered the game leading the big leagues with a plus-59 run differential, and they added to it on a windy night at Kauffman Stadium. They pounded their 59th home run through their first 37 games, and scored seven or more runs for the fourth consecutive game.

They routed the Royals 7-1 in the series opener Tuesday night.

TWO FOR ONE

Yankees third baseman Chase Headley was charged with two errors on one play in the seventh inning. First, he bobbled a grounder that allowed Merrifield to reach first safely. Then, he threw widely of first base to allow the lead runner to go from second to third.

A-ROD ON TV

Alex Rodriguez makes his debut as a color commentator for the series finale on Thursday. A-Rod will join Kevin Burkhardt in calling the game on Fox Sports. Rodriguez has been active in TV since his retirement, doing pre- and post-game analysis for Fox Sports along with other projects.

“I get a chance to talk to him tomorrow pregame and talk about the team, so that will be kind of strange,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “That means I’m getting old.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals RHP Ian Kennedy played long toss before the game and should be ready to start Saturday. He has been out with a right hamstring injury. “Things are looking pretty good,” manager Ned Yost said.

UP NEXT

Yankees LHP Jordan Montgomery goes for his third career win in his seventh big league start on Thursday night. He was battered by Houston in his last start Friday night.

Royals LHP Danny Duffy tries to snap a five-start winless streak against his nemesis. Duffy is just 1-2 with a 7.29 ERA in seven appearances against New York.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — CC Sabathia’s eyes light up whenever he sees the outfield fountains at Kauffman Stadium.

His performance usually picks up, too.

The Yankees’ big left-hander carried a shutout into the seventh inning Tuesday night, getting a three-run homer from Gary Sanchez and a two-run shot from Chris Carter in support, and New York went on to rout the Kansas City Royals 7-1 in the opener of their three-game series.

Pitching on six days’ rest, Sabathia (3-2) struck out five and walked two over 6 2/3 innings to win for the first time since April 15. And the fact he got back on track in Kansas City should come as no surprise: He is 13-5 in 21 career starts there, matching the record for most wins by a visitor.

“I love pitching here,” Sabathia said, smiling. “It’s my favorite park.”

Sabathia was never in trouble until the seventh, when Alex Gordon’s infield single loaded the bases with two outs. Tyler Clippard came in and fanned Whit Merrifield to escape the jam, then handled the eighth before Jonathan Holder allowed a run in the ninth.

That preserved the solid effort by Sabathia, who had allowed 22 runs in his last four starts.

“He was pretty frustrated with the way things were going,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said, “not pitching the way he did earlier this season. So I think this was big.”

Sanchez drilled an 0-1 pitch from Jason Hammel (1-5) to center field with nobody out in the third, and Carter pounded a 1-1 pitch to almost the same place with two down in the fourth.

“I’ve got to do a better job of keeping the ball in the park,” Hammel said. “Both the guys that hit it out are strong boys. They’re mistake killers.”

Jacoby Ellsbury and Matt Holliday also drove in runs against the Royals’ bullpen, part of a 13-hit outburst that sent the Yankees to their ninth win in the last 11 meetings with Kansas City.

It was another dismal night for Hammel, who allowed seven runs over seven innings in his last start against Tampa Bay. The right-hander yielded five runs on nine hits and a walk in six innings this time, and has served up six home runs in his last four outings.

“It was two balls that left the yard that hurt me,” he said. “I’m trying to stay positive and just continue to work. I’ve got to find a way to do a better job of establishing a better tone early.”

Meanwhile, Sabathia was getting plenty of help from his defense.

Alcides Escobar twice lined out to third baseman Chase Headley, including a hot shot leading off the game. Carter made a couple of nifty plays at first base, and left fielder Brett Gardner threw out Jorge Soler in the fifth inning as he tried to stretch a single.

The Yankees’ dominant pitching and defense came after the Royals had won three one-run games in a sweep of Baltimore, capped by a season-best 14 hits in the finale on Sunday.

“We had guys hit the ball on the nose,” Royals manager Ned Yost said, “and not much to show for it.”

STATS AND STREAKS

Sanchez has hit all three of his homers on the road this season. … Carter has 13 career hits against Kansas City. Six of them are home runs. … The Royals were held to one run or fewer for the 13th time, most in the majors. … Gordon had his first multi-hit game since April 9.

SILENCE FOR STEVE

There was a moment of silence before the game for Steve Palermo, the umpire whose career ended when he was shot trying to break up a robbery in 1991. Palermo, who lived in the Kansas City area, died last weekend at age 67. He had been ill with cancer.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals RHP Ian Kennedy will throw a bullpen Wednesday and hopes to make his next start Saturday. Kennedy has been dealing with a strained right hamstring.

UP NEXT

Yankees RHP Michael Pineda tries to keep rolling when he gets the ball Wednesday night on five days’ rest. Pineda is 3-1 with a 2.63 ERA over his last six outings.

Royals LHP Jason Vargas makes his ninth career start against the Yankees, still searching for his first win. He is 5-1 with a 1.01 ERA this season, but 0-5 with a 6.53 ERA vs. New York.

— Associated Press —