The Yankees jumped out of the gates red-hot and never looked back. The Bombers were out in full display in Wednesday’s 11-5 win over the Kansas City Royals.
With the bases loaded in top of the first inning, Alex Verdugo grounded a two-RBI single to right field. Anthony Rizzo later drove in the third run of the opening frame with a sac fly before Jose Trevino delivered the big blow in the form of a three-run homer. For Trevino, it was his sixth homer of the year.
The Yanks didn’t stop after their first-inning outburst as they continued to add on. Giancarlo Stanton smashed a 449-foot two-run homer to center field in the top of the fifth inning for his 17th of the season. Stanton, Juan Soto and Aaron Judge have combined for 59 total homers on the season which is more than six MLB teams as a whole — the White Sox, Nationals, Rays, Marlins, Blue Jays and Rockies.
Gleyber Torres joined in on the fun in the top of the seventh as the second baseman launched his sixth homer of the season totaling the Yanks’ third of the night. Torres is beginning to bounce back at the plate after his brutal start to the season. Entering Wednesday, the 27-year-old owns a .739 OPS in his last 23 games.
Cody Poteet answered the call again as Clarke Schmidt’s replacement in the rotation. The right-hander tossed 5.1 innings allowing two earned runs on four hits while striking out two. Poteet’s ERA sits at 2.14 and has not allowed more than two earned runs in any of his four starts this season.
The Yankees turned to Ian Hamilton to relieve Poteet who was charged with three earned runs in his 1.1 innings of work. Tommy Kahnle and Luke Weaver got the final seven outs as the Yankees would secure an 11-5 series-clinching victory.
The Bombers will turn to Nestor Cortes on Thursday afternoon as they will go for a four-game road sweep of the upstart Royals. Alex Marsh will take the ball for Kansas City to try and salvage the series.
