The New York Yankees defeated the Kansas City Royals, 4-2, on Friday night at Yankee Stadium, as Ryan McMahon delivered a go-ahead two-run home run in the eighth inning to secure the win. New York improved its record to 11-9 with a strong pitching performance and timely late offense, overcoming missed opportunities earlier in the game.
Cam Schlittler set the tone on the mound, turning in one of his best outings of the season. The right-hander held the Royals hitless into the fourth inning and carried a shutout into the sixth before allowing an unearned run following a defensive miscue. Schlittler worked into the seventh, finishing with one unearned run allowed on three hits while striking out six. His ability to attack the zone and generate swings and misses kept Kansas City off balance for most of the night.
Offensively, the Yankees broke through in the fourth inning when Ben Rice launched a two-run home run to right field, giving New York an early lead. However, the lineup struggled to build on scoring chances, finishing without a hit in five at-bats with runners in scoring position. The Royals tied the game in the eighth on a solo home run, setting the stage for McMahon’s decisive swing. Entering as a late defensive replacement, McMahon came through with two outs, driving a pitch the other way for his first home run of the season.
David Bednar closed out the win in the ninth, working around a leadoff walk to secure the save and preserve the victory.
The Yankees will continue their series against the Royals on Saturday at 1:35 p.m.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].