Yankees sweep Royals, 6-4

The Yankees beat the Royals, 6-4, to complete a three-game sweep at Kauffman Stadium. Kansas City has now lost 8 of 10 after climbing back to .500 at 5-5.

This one was winnable, too. After falling behind 1-0 on an Aaron Judge home run that almost went onto the highway, the Royals scored the next four runs, going up 4-1 through four innings and seemingly being in control.

Michael A. Taylor led off the third with a game-tying home run against Luis Severino. Cam Gallagher singled to center, though he hurt his hamstring on the jog to first and had to eventually exit the game. Following a fielder’s choice, Whit Merrifield single, Andrew Benintendi walked, and a wild pitch scored the second run of the day. Carlos Santana hit a two-out RBI double that just snuck inside the first base bag, making it 3-1. Kansas City would add a fourth run on a throwing error in the next inning.

You’d think that a 4-1 lead would make a good chance for a victory. But with Dayton Moore’s Kansas City Royals, you would be mistaken. The Yankees got two in the fifth off Daniel Lynch to get right back in it, and then they got two in the seventh when Dylan Coleman put three guys on without the ball being put in play. Two came around to score. 5-4. Aaron Judge homered again in the ninth. 6-4.

The Royals managed 10 hits but, once again, struggled to come through with runners in scoring position. Lynch pitched well, holding the Yankees to three runs in five innings, but the bullpen squandered the lead, and the offense did nothing after falling behind.

More notes: Whit Merrifield had two hits and almost had three because he hit a lineout to the pitcher in the first inning. Carlos Santana made a really nice catch over the railing in foul territory. Andrew Benintendi reached base two more times. The uniforms are nice! /ducks

The record is 7-13. A one-game makeup stint in St. Louis is in store for tomorrow afternoon, and after that, it’s a series at the K with the same Cardinals.