Pablo Reyes scored an unearned run from second base on a wild play in the eighth inning after New York’s Will Warren and Kansas City’s Seth Lugo dueled in the visiting Yankees’ 1-0 victory over the Royals on Thursday night.
The American League East-leading Yankees totaled 16 runs and 24 hits in the first two games of the three-game set, but managed five hits against four Royals pitchers in the finale. Yet that was enough for the victory to claim all six games this season versus Kansas City.
The Royals, amid a 10-19 rut that dropped them below .500 for the first time since April 27, were 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position. Kansas City’s Vinnie Pasquantino did extend his hitting streak to a career-high 12 games and on-base streak to 27 with a single leading off the second.
Reyes opened the eighth with a single against Kansas City’s Lucas Erceg (1-2), who then struck out Aaron Judge looking after he came off the bench on his first day out of the starting lineup this season. Reyes advanced to second on a Trent Grisham groundout.
Ater Ben Rice walked, Paul Goldschmidt sent a liner off the glove of first baseman Pasquantino, who tried to get the out at first but was late. A streaking Reyes, meanwhile, stopped between third and home, then again broke for the plate, where catcher Freddy Fermin was unable to grab the low throw from Erceg, who was covering first. Erceg was charged with an error.
Lugo allowed three walks but only singles to J.C. Escarra and Grisham before leaving with two outs in the sixth and two on. A 28-minute rain delay followed, then Angel Zerpa retired Cody Bellinger via a diving catch from center fielder Kyle Isbel.
Warren came back out after the delay but was replaced with two outs and a runner on first in the bottom of the sixth. The right-hander gave up four hits and a walk and struck out four.
Kansas City failed to score after opening the second with back-to-back singles. It squandered Nick Loftin’s one-triple in the fifth and left runners on the corners in the seventh.
New York’s Mark Leiter Jr. (4-3) pitched one-third of an inning for the win.
