By Jordan Wilson / MLB.com

KANSAS CITY — The Royals selected right-hander Ashe Russell from Cathedral (Ind.) High School in Indianapolis with the 21st pick overall pick on Monday night in the 2015 MLB Draft.

The Royals picked the farthest back in the first round since holding the 24th overall choice in 1986, coming off their 1985 World Series title. They have two other picks on Day 1 with the 33rd and 64th overall selections.

The Draft continues on Tuesday with Rounds 3-10. The MLB.com preview show begins at 11:30 a.m. CT, with exclusive coverage of Rounds 3-10 beginning at noon.

At 6-foot-4 and 195 pounds, Russell has the big frame of a Major League starter and touts a 92-95 mph fastball. He also frequents a low-80s slider as a secondary pitch with a combo that led to much success in high school.

“I try to work at a fast tempo to keep the hitters off-balance. I like to control the game at my own pace,” Russell said. “I think the thing the scouts like most is my slider. It’s a good swing-and-miss pitch, I would say.”

Lingering concerns with Russell is that he has yet to develop a strong changeup and he will need further development with his mechanics and control, but scouts indicate he counters with his athleticism and quick-twitch arm speed.

Russell did not attend any pre-draft workouts with Major League clubs.

“I did not get to any workouts due to my high school season back in Indy,” said Russell, whose high school team lost in its sectional championship game.

Russell was named the Gatorade Indiana Baseball Player of the Year for leading the Fighting Irish into the Class AAAA sectional tournament with a 4-1 record and a 1.23 ERA at the time in 34 innings through 21 games.

Russell is the first high school player the Royals have taken with their first pick since 2011 (outfielder Bubba Starling) and he is their fourth top-pick right-hander since 2006 — Luke Hochevar (No. 1 in 2006), Aaron Crow (No. 12 in 2009) and Kyle Zimmer (No. 8 in 2012). Russell is currently committed to the Texas A&M.

“It’s going to come down to family decisions, money, and I’m just ready to continue playing baseball in my career,” Russell said. “I’m happy it’s gonna be with the Royals.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Royals closer Greg Holland was too busy warming up to start hollering when a home run by Salvador Perez plopped down into the Kansas City bullpen.

Perez hit a solo homer with two outs in the eighth inning, lifting the Royals over the Texas Rangers 4-3 Sunday.

Perez connected off Keone Kela (4-2) for his eighth home run, barely clearing the fence.

“Everybody else down there is screaming, cheering and high-fiving, but I’ve got to go out there and worry about throwing strikes,” Holland said. “At that point, you just try not to blow the game.”

“I try not to get caught up in those moments. I saw him hit the ball and knew it was probably at least a double. I was going out in a tie game or with the lead, regardless. My main objective was thinking about getting (Joey) Gallo the leadoff hitter out.”

Holland pitched a perfect ninth for his ninth save in 10 opportunities.

Perez wasn’t sure his shot was going to make it over the wall.

“I’m thinking a line drive,” Perez said. “I didn’t think it was going to be out.”

Kela’s fastball ran back inside to Perez.

“It leaned back over into Perez’s nitro zone,” Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. ” I’m sure he was wanting to go off the plate. I don’t think he was trying to go in.”

Said Kela: “I know you’ve got to understand the bitter to enjoy the sweet, but I was being aggressive and I was in the strike zone and throwing strikes. I was confident in all the pitches I throw. I just didn’t execute.”

Wade Davis (3-1) picked up the victory, working around Prince Fielder’s double in the eighth.

Jeremy Guthrie limited the Rangers to one hit the first six innings, but was removed with one out in the seventh after giving up back-to-back singles to Mitch Moreland and Gallo.

Guthrie left with a 3-0 lead, and reliever Kelvin Herrera could not hold it. Elvis Andrus singled to load the bases, Leonys Martin hit a two-run single and Robinson Chirinos’ RBI groundout tied it.

Rangers starter Colby Lewis departed after seven innings and 101 pitches, giving up three runs and eight hits.

Kendrys Morales hit an RBI double in the fifth that made it 3-0.

YOST TIES HOWSER

Ned Yost tied Dick Howser with his 404th victory as the Royals manager for second place on the franchise’s all-time list. “If Dick hadn’t got sick, I don’t think anybody would have tied him,” Yost said. Howser died of brain cancer in 1987. Yost is closing in on Whitey Herzog’s club record 410 victories.

NO HOMERS

Davis has pitched 106 innings without allowing a home run, the longest active streak in the majors.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rangers: RHP Ross Ohlendorf (strained right groin) was putn the disabled list. He joins 13 other Rangers on the DL. … RHP Neftali Feliz (abscess procedure) threw one inning on a rehab assignment Saturday for Triple-A Round Rock, allowing one unearned run on one hit against Oklahoma City. He walked one and struck out one, throwing 24 pitches. … LHP Matt Harrison (spinal fusion) will make his second rehab start Monday for Round Rock.

Royals: LHP Danny Duffy (biceps tendinitis) will make his first rehab start Tuesday for Triple-A Omaha.

UP NEXT

Rangers: After an off-day Monday, RHP Nick Martinez will start the series opener Tuesday at Oakland.

Royals: RF Alex Rios is 13 for 27 with four doubles and a home run against RHP Phil Hughes, the Twins’ starter Monday at Minnesota.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Texas Rangers have a knack for scoring quickly. Kansas City Royals right-hander Yordano Ventura has a tendency for giving up early runs.

That formula worked well for the Rangers in beating the Royals 4-2 on Saturday.

The Rangers have won nine straight when they score in the first inning.

“It’s always crucial when you’re on the road or anytime to get on the board first,” Rangers manager Jeff Bannister said. “Against a pitcher like we faced today, if you can get to him early, we feel like that’s a benefit to us.

Staked to an early 4-0 lead, Wandy Rodriguez held the Royals to one run and six hits over seven innings.

“We feel very good as a starter,” Rodriguez said when the Rangers jump out to a quick advantage. “We try to make the hitter swing quick, one pitch, one out.”

Texas has won six straight series for the first time since 2012. The AL champion Royals have lost nine of 11.

Rodriguez (3-2), a 36-year-old lefty who signed with the Rangers in early April after Atlanta released him in spring training, gave up one run and six hits. He walked none and struck out four.

“I had a very good curve today, which I used a lot and my location was good, too,” Rodriguez said. “I had a good two-seam away and a good four-seam inside.

Shawn Tolleson gave up a home run to Salvador Perez in the ninth, but picked up his seven seventh save in as many opportunities.

Ventura (3-5) allowed four runs in the first two innings. He threw 78 pitches and was pulled after the third in his shortest outing of the season.

Ventura has a 6.14 ERA in the first two innings in his 11 starts with opponents hitting .314 off him. He has yielded 15 runs on 27 hits, seven walks and two hit batters in the first two innings.

Ventura gave up six hits, walked two and hit a batter against Texas.

“I was a little wild at first,” Ventura said with teammate Christian Colon acting as his translator. “I felt like I settled down a little bit. It was one of those days. It wasn’t working.

The Royals avoided their second straight shutout when Jarrod Dyson led off the sixth with a double, his fifth straight hit, and scored on Mike Moustakas’ single.

Shin-Soo Choo had two hits, including a two-run double in the second. Choo also scored in the two-run first inning, when the Rangers had four straight hits off Ventura.

HITTING MACHINE

Prince Fielder singled twice for his 26th multihit game, which tops the majors. He also leads the AL with a .356 batting average and 79 hits.

BLANTON AGAIN

Joe Blanton threw 3 1/3 scoreless innings and 51 pitches after Ventura exited. Blanton has worked in three straight games.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rangers: 1B-OF Kyle Blanks (cyst removed) ran the bases before the game and could be activated in the next few days.

Royals: LHP Danny Duffy (biceps tendinitis) threw off the mound Saturday and could begin a rehab assignment next week.

UP NEXT

Rangers: RHP Colby Lewis has an 8.86 ERA in his past four starts, but has won two of them.

Royals: RHP Jeremy Guthrie is 23-11 with a 2.70 ERA with Kansas City in games when he has not allowed a home run. He is 14-18 with a 5.57 ERA when he yields at least one HR.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The next run Chi Chi Gonzalez gives up in the majors will be his first.

“It is going to be sad,” Gonzalez said, then laughed.

Gonzalez threw a three-hit shutout in his second major league start as the Texas Rangers beat the skidding Kansas City Royals 4-0 Friday night.

The Royals lost for the eighth time in 10 games, while the Rangers have won six of seven and 14 of 18 to move into second place in the AL West behind Houston.

Gonzalez (2-0), the Rangers’ 2013 first-round draft pick out of Oral Roberts, has not allowed a run and yielded only five hits in 14 2/3 innings in his first two starts. He checked the Royals on three singles, walked two and struck out two.

“I had the same jitters just because it was my first away start,” said Gonzalez, but he kept the sellout crowd at Kauffman Stadium quiet.

Gonzalez worked around five walks in 5 2/3 innings to top Boston 8-0 on May 30 in his big league debut.

“I threw more strikes and got ahead of a lot more hitters than in my last outing, which is what I was hoping to do,” Gonzalez said.

He threw 102 pitches in eight innings, and pitching coach Mike Maddux visited him in the dugout.

“I sat down and got a drink of water, Mike came up to me and asked how I was feeling,” Gonzalez said. “I said I felt strong, I felt good. He said `all right, go get `em.” That was the end of that conversation.”

Manager Jeff Banister said it “was not an easy decision” to send him out for the ninth.

“This is a young man that’s fresh in the big leagues, second major league start,” Banister said. “I’m very conscious of where he is. I felt like there was not a lot of stress on any of the innings. I felt he was in still in control, the velocity and pitchability was still there. We had a pitch count we weren’t going beyond.

“We had (Shawn) Tolleson ready if he got into any trouble. He didn’t get into any trouble.”

Mitch Moreland led off the Rangers’ three-run sixth with a homer. Robinson Chirinos celebrated his 31st birthday with a two-run single to finish right-hander Edinson Volquez’s night.

Volquez (4-4) gave up four runs and six hits, while striking out six and walking three in 5 1/3 innings.

Gonzalez, who retired 12 in a row after walking Lorenzo Cain in the first, did not allow a Royal to reach second base until the seventh. Eric Hosmer had a bunt single and Kendrys Morales walked, but Alex Gordon grounded into an inning-ending double play.

“We went through him four times today and still couldn’t solve him,” Royals manager Ned Yost said of Gonzalez.

Delino DeShields led off the game with a triple and scored on Shin-Soo Choo’s groundout.

PHENOM TAMED

Joey Gallo, who hit .417 with two homers and five RBI in his first three Rangers games, struck out four times, three looking.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rangers: RHP Neftali Feliz (abscess near his right armpit) will begin a rehab assignment Saturday with Triple-A Round Rock. He is scheduled to throw an inning. . OF-IF Ryan Rua (right heel fracture) went 1 for 2 with a two-run homer and was hit by a pitch Thursday in his first rehab game with Round Rock at Reno.

Royals: RHP Kris Medlen (rehabbing from 2014 elbow surgery) will throw off the mound Sunday before returning to Arizona to continue to build up arm strength.

UP NEXT

Rangers: LHP Wandy Rodriguez will make his first June start after a Texas-best 3.22 ERA in May.

Royals: RHP Yordano Ventura gave up a season-high 10 hits, including two homers, in a May 13 loss at Texas.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Trevor Bauer bounced a couple of pitches in the dirt, long before it became a soggy puddle of mud.

He threw a few wide. A couple high and tight.

Even when Bauer did find the strike zone, the Royals were just as powerless to hit him.

The young right-hander allowed only a long two-run homer by Lorenzo Cain while pitching into the seventh inning, and Brandon Moss hit a two-run shot of his own as the Cleveland Indians beat Kansas City 6-2 on Thursday night in a game called early because of rain.

“Early on he had some struggles. He left a pitch over to Cain. After that, he was really good,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. “He really competes.”

Bauer (5-2) has allowed two runs or fewer in each of his last four starts, getting to the seventh in each of them. He walked four but also struck out five Thursday night.

“The trend is we’ve been facing good pitching,” said Royals manager Ned Yost, whose team has lost seven of nine. “That’s the trend.”

After struggling to score the previous night, the Indians pounded away against Chris Young (4-2) over the first five innings. They sent eight batters to the plate during a four-run third inning, and Moss added his second homer of the series with nobody out in the fifth.

“I wasn’t as sharp as I’d like to be. But when I made pitches, I felt like they fought it off and fouled it off and took some good ones,” Young said. “They were better than me tonight.”

The game was delayed with one out in the bottom of the eighth as lightning and heavy rain rolled into the area. The umpires waited 44 minutes before calling Cleveland’s sixth win in eight games.

Jason Kipnis, Michael Brantley and David Murphy also drove in runs for Cleveland.

The slumping Royals offense never got Bauer in a whole lot of trouble. They didn’t manage a hit until Omar Infante’s single leading off the third, and the only time they punctured the scoreboard came when Cain ripped a two-run shot 422 feet to straightaway center moments later.

Otherwise, the former first-round draft pick harnessed some erratic early stuff to flummox the Kansas City lineup. Bauer made Salvador Perez look foolish with a strikeout to end the second, then rung up Alcides Escobar to leave a runner stranded in the fourth.

The result was Bauer’s first victory in four career starts against the Royals.

Young had been dominant since moving from the bullpen to the Kansas City rotation, allowing just one earned run over his first four starts. But the AL’s comeback player of the year with Seattle last season has struggled the past couple of weeks. Young gave up four runs and seven hits in six innings against the Yankees his last time out.

Not even facing the Indians helped. He’d been 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA in his career against them.

“You play a team that’s hot and locked in the way some of their hitters are,” Young said, “they are going to foul off pitches that maybe they would swing and miss, or they’re going to get hits.”

STATS AND STREAKS

Cain’s homer was his first since May 2, a span of 91 at-bats. … Infante had a single in the third, snapping an 0-for-12 skid. … Moss has a hit in five straight games. He has homered three times in six games at spacious Kauffman Stadium.

NED’S PICKS

Yost selected Seattle’s Lloyd McClendon and Houston’s A.J. Hinch to assist him as coaches at the All-Star game on July 14. Yost said he wanted to let McClendon be a part of the game in Cincinnati, where he made his big league debut, and reward Hinch for Houston’s hot start.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Indians: Brantley was back in the lineup as the DH. He was given Wednesday night off because Francona said he was “pretty beat up.”

Royals: RHP Kris Medlen (Tommy John surgery) and LHP Danny Duffy (biceps tendinitis) threw three innings apiece in a simulated game. Duffy will throw a side session Saturday.

UP NEXT

Indians: RHP Shawn Marcum goes for his fourth straight win against Baltimore in the opener of a three-game series Friday night in Cleveland.

Royals: RHP Edinson Volquez starts against his former team as the Royals wrap up their homestand with a three-game series against the Rangers beginning Friday night.

— Associated Press —

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Jason Vargas tossed six sharp innings, the Kansas City offense finally woke up against AL Cy Young winner Corey Kluber and the Royals beat the Cleveland Indians 4-2 on Wednesday night.

Mike Moustakas drove in a run in the first inning, and Lorenzo Cain, Eric Hosmer and Kendrys Morales hit consecutive RBI doubles off Kluber (3-6) in the third to give the Royals the lead.

Vargas (4-2) made it stand up in his second start back from the disabled list. The left-hander used a pair of double plays to wiggle out of jams, and limited the streaking Indians to two runs on eight hits while striking out three without a walk.

Greg Holland pitched a perfect ninth for his eighth save.

— Associated Press —

CHICAGO (AP) — David Ross did just fine when he swung away.

After failing to execute a safety-squeeze in the ninth inning, Ross hit an RBI single with one out in the 11th inning Sunday that lifted the Chicago Cubs over the Kansas City Royals 2-1.

“I’m playing the game out in my head. I knew what was coming the first time and I didn’t get the bunt down, but luckily I drove that ball into the gap right there at the end,” Ross said with a smile.

The Cubs and Royals split the abbreviated two-game series. Saturday’s game was rained out and will be made up at Wrigley Field during the last week of the regular season.

Ross delivered the fifth game-ending hit of his career, a bases-loaded single just beyond the reach of shortstop Alcides Escobar, who tried to make a sliding, over-the-shoulder catch.

With runners on second and third, the Royals intentionally walked Starlin Castro to load the bases.

“I knew when they got to second and third, I knew they were going to walk Starlin. I’m batting a buck-60 or something, I would do the same thing.”

Despite the lack of power put on the ball, it was perfectly placed.

“Based on the configuration of the defense, you couldn’t have thrown the ball any better to end the ballgame,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said.

The ball was just out of the range of left fielder Alex Gordon.

“The ball was just dying. He (Escobar) looked at me, I know I didn’t call it, so he went after it and that was that,” Gordon said.

Earlier in the inning, Dexter Fowler was thrown out at the plate by Gordon when he tried to score on a single.

It was 47 degrees at gametime with the wind blowing in. The crowd included many Royals fans who made up the announced attendance of 37,766.

“It was a great game. The conditions were tough. You knew offense was going to come at a premium,” Royals manager Ned Yost said.

Zac Rosscup (2-1) struck out Salvador Perez with runners on first and third with two outs in the 11th.

Ryan Madson (0-1) walked Fowler and Kris Bryant to begin the 11th. Jason Frasor relieved and Anthony Rizzo blooped a single, with a video replay confirming Fowler was out at the plate.

Royals reliever Wade Davis pitched out of a jam in the ninth. Rizzo tripled with one out and Castro was intentionally walked. Ross then bunted back to Davis, who held Rizzo at third base and got the out at first. Davis struck out Jorge Soler to end the inning.

Royals starter Yordano Ventura pitched seven innings, allowing one run and four hits. It was his fourth straight outing that he pitched seven innings. He struck out six and walked one.

“He just had everything going. He had a really good curveball, was throwing strikes with his fastball and mixed in some straight changeups,” Yost said.

Chris Coghlan had three hits off Ventura, including an RBI single in the seventh.

Cubs starter Tsuyoshi Wada pitched into the sixth. Recently demoted starter Travis Wood gave up an RBI single to Gordon.

Maddon though it was the right time to get Wada.

“If he goes 1, 2, 3 there, beautiful. I took the walk as a sign that maybe that was the Waterloo moment right there,” Maddon said. “From my perspective I’m seeing a little bit of laboring.”

Before the game, there was a moment of silence for Lennie Merullo. He died Saturday at 98 and was the oldest former Cubs player, and the last living member of their 1945 World Series team.

The Cubs and the Royals both wore 1915 throwback uniforms. The Cubs wore Chicago Whales uniforms and the Royals broke out the Kansas City Packers threads.

UP NEXT

Royals: Start a six-game homestand vs. the Indians on Tuesday. Jeremy Guthrie (4-3) is scheduled to make his 10th start of the season. He will try to bounce back from his worst outing of his career when he gave up 11 runs on nine hits, three walks in one-plus inning against the Yankees on May 25.

Cubs: Begin a nine-game road trip in Miami on Monday. Jason Hammel (3-2) is the scheduled starter. In eight games against Miami, he is 1/3 with a 4.86 ERA.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: Alex Rios returned to the lineup after breaking his left hand on April 13. He was 0 for 4 and played right field. … Eric Hosmer, who got some rest from the field, pinch-hit in the 10th inning and walked.

— Associated Press —

CHICAGO (AP) — The Kansas City Royals were sailing along with a three-run lead.

In a flash, they lost it. Then, they regrouped for a win they sorely needed.

Lorenzo Cain hit a tiebreaking RBI double and scored in a three-run eighth inning, and the Royals beat the Chicago Cubs 8-4 Friday to snap a four-game losing streak.

Alcides Escobar homered on the game’s first pitch. Alex Gordon and Salvador Perez also went deep, and the Royals came out on top after squandering a 4-1 lead.

“It feels like a new day,” said Eric Hosmer, who had an RBI double.

Mike Moustakas walked leading off the eighth against Pedro Strop (1-3). Cain, who had three hits, then drove him in with a double to the base of the wall in right-center, and the Royals scored two more thanks to an error by center fielder Dexter Fowler with two out and Justin Grimm pitching.

Fowler dropped Omar Infante’s liner trying to make a shoestring catch with runners on first and second, then fell trying to pick up the ball. Cain and Hosmer scored, making it 7-4, and the Royals got back to winning after a three-game sweep by the Yankees in New York.

Edinson Volquez was making it look easy before Chicago’s Jorge Soler chased him with a two-run homer with two out in the sixth. He connected on a 3-0 pitch, making it 4-3.

Kelvin Herrera (1-1) gave up a tying solo drive to Addison Russell in the seventh but picked up the win. Wade Davis struck out the side in the eighth and Greg Holland worked the ninth.

“We played well today,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. “We had them on the ropes. They showed why they went to the World Series last year. We showed why we’re not ready yet.”

Volquez was in line to win his third straight start before the late rally. The right-hander allowed three runs and six hits, struck out a season-high nine and walked one.

Jake Arrieta lasted seven innings, allowing four runs and eight hits. He struck out five without a walk.

Kansas City, making its first appearance at Wrigley Field since 2001, wasted no time jumping ahead in this one.

Outscored 29-5 over the previous four games, the Royals immediately grabbed the lead when Escobar drove the first pitch to the bleachers in left-center for his second home run. It was also his second career leadoff homer, both coming this season.

“We needed to have this win today,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “We didn’t want to take the five in a row. That’s a much improved club over there. They’ve really got some nice young talented players.”

SVEUM BACK

Royals hitting coach Dale Sveum was back at Wrigley Field for the first time since he was fired as Cubs manager following the 2013 season. The ballpark, in the early stage of an overhaul, is looking different, with two large new video boards and new bleachers in the outfield. “It’s a little way from what you’re used to, but in the long run I think it’s going to be all right,” he said.

STINGY WITH HOMERS

Russell’s homer was the second allowed by Herrera this season after he went 105 1/3 innings without allowing one. Cleveland’s Lonnie Chisenhall connected against him on May 5.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: OF Alex Rios is expected to return to the Royals’ lineup Saturday after being sidelined by a broken left hand since April 13 when he was hit by a pitch from Minnesota’s J.R. Graham.

Cubs: The Cubs pushed RHP Jason Hammel’s start back a day to Sunday to give him some extra rest. Manager Joe Maddon said he is fine.

UP NEXT

RHP Yordano Ventura (3-4, 4.64) starts for Kansas City, with LHP Tsuyoshi Wada making his third start for Chicago since returning from a strained left groin.

— Associated Press —

NEW YORK (AP) — Alex Rodriguez checked off another age-old milestone in a comeback season that’s surpassing almost anyone’s expectations.

The three-time MVP hit a three-run homer to break Lou Gehrig’s American League record for RBI, and the New York Yankees beat the Kansas City Royals 4-2 Wednesday to finish a three-game sweep.

“I haven’t played a lot of baseball in the last two years, but I feel like I’m in a good place. I’m happy. I’m having fun,” said the 39-year-old Rodriguez, who sat out last season while serving a drug suspension.

“I think for me in a weird way the time off was a blessing in disguise. I was able to get some rest, change my workout regimen a little bit. I just feel like I’m in a better place and more explosive than I’ve been.”

Michael Pineda (6-2) rebounded from consecutive losses and Brian McCann hit a solo shot for the Yankees, who outscored the AL champions 23-4 in their first home sweep of Kansas City since August 2007.

Coming into the series, New York had lost six in a row and 10 of 11.

“We responded well, especially after getting swept by Texas,” reliever Dellin Betances said.

Mike Moustakas homered early for Kansas City, but Chris Young (4-1) gave up both Yankees long balls. The slumping Royals have dropped four straight for the first time since Aug. 28-31, mustering only five runs during the slide.

“A lot of it was Pineda. Some of it was us right now. We’re not swinging the bats. We’ve cooled off a little bit,” manager Ned Yost said.

Betances allowed an unearned run in the eighth — he has not yielded an earned run all year. Andrew Miller worked a 1-2-3 ninth and is perfect in 14 save opportunities.

“Our pitchers really showed up in this series against an offense that was swinging the bat really well,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said.

Brett Gardner doubled to start the third, Chase Headley walked and Rodriguez pulled a line drive into the left-field corner that cleared the fence near the 318-foot sign.

Earlier this season, A-Rod passed Willie Mays (660) for fourth place on the career home run list. With No. 665 on Wednesday, he ended his season-worst homer drought at eight games and increased his career total to 1,995 RBI. The Yankees said that’s two more than Gehrig gets credit for from the Elias Sports Bureau, baseball’s official statistician.

Records get tricky when it comes to runs batted in, partly because RBI did not become an official stat until 1920. So while baseball-reference.com lists Gehrig with 1,995 RBI and Babe Ruth with 2,214, Elias puts Rodriguez ahead of both of them and behind only Barry Bonds (1,996) and Hank Aaron (2,297).

“You see the guys that he’s passing, and it’s really pretty amazing,” Girardi said. “It’s longevity, but it’s also being productive for an extremely long time.”

Rodriguez’s 11th homer of the season plus a single in the seventh left him 19 hits shy of 3,000.

“You see it all. You think about it. But right now, it’s about wins,” Rodriguez said. “We desperately needed these three wins against a great team. That’s a team over there that hopefully we’ll see in October.”

Rodriguez also pointed out he was “extremely grateful” to hear supportive comments last week from Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner, who said the slugger has been “a great asset.”

“It certainly made me feel a lot more welcome, and I wouldn’t be here breaking these records if he didn’t give me a chance playing on his team,” Rodriguez said.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: OF Alex Rios (broken left hand) was scheduled to be the DH for nine innings Wednesday night in his third rehab game with Triple-A Omaha, Yost said.

Yankees: RHP Masahiro Tanaka (wrist tendinitis, forearm strain) threw 62 pitches over three innings in his second rehab start for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He gave up three runs and four hits, including a homer, while striking out four and walking two against Pawtucket.

ROLLING ALONG

Carlos Beltran extended his hitting streak to 15 games.

SWISH!

Chris Mullin, the former St. John’s basketball star recently hired to coach his alma mater, threw out the ceremonial first pitch. Wearing a No. 20 pinstriped Yankees jersey and a red St. John’s cap, the lefty fired wide from the mound, but reached the plate on a fly. He said it was his first visit to the new Yankee Stadium. “Everything I’ve been doing the last few months is kind of like being in a time machine,” he said. Mullin mentioned he played baseball as a kid but hated practicing. “It was the one sport I progressively got worse at,” he said.

UP NEXT

Royals: After a day off Thursday, the Royals play three interleague games against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. RHP Edinson Volquez, who is 7-0 vs. the Cubs, starts the series opener Friday against RHP Jake Arrieta.

Yankees: LHP CC Sabathia (2-6, 5.47 ERA) starts Thursday night at Oakland in the opener of a seven-game West Coast trip. Coming off a dreadful outing vs. Texas, Sabathia is 8-10 with a 4.66 ERA against his hometown team.

— Associated Press —