Yankees outlast Royals

In a thrilling opener of the AL Division Series, the New York Yankees outlasted the Kansas City Royals with a 6-5 victory, highlighted by Alex Verdugo’s clutch performances both at the plate and in the field.

Verdugo delivered a pivotal tiebreaking single in the seventh inning, scoring Jazz Chisholm Jr. after he led off with a single and successfully stole second base following a review. This hit came after a tense back-and-forth matchup where both teams exchanged leads multiple times—a record five lead changes in a postseason game, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Both teams showcased their power, with Gleyber Torres launching a two-run homer for the Yankees and MJ Melendez matching that with a two-run shot for the Royals. Despite Kansas City taking leads of 1-0, 3-2, and 5-4, they couldn’t hold off the Yankees, who responded each time.

Kansas City pitchers tied their season high with eight walks, leading to two runs for the Yankees in the fifth inning. Verdugo’s performance was especially noteworthy, as he overcame a 2-for-34 slump at the plate. “I just kind of let it spiral out of control a little bit,” he admitted, crediting his teammates for their support.

In the field, Verdugo made a spectacular sliding catch in the fourth inning, preventing two runs from scoring. The catch was a highlight of his defensive effort, which included several key plays by Chisholm and first baseman Oswaldo Cabrera.

Yankees starter Gerrit Cole had a rough outing, allowing four runs (three earned) over five-plus innings. However, the bullpen stepped up, with four relievers combining to allow just one unearned run in the final four innings. Clay Holmes earned the win with 1.2 scoreless innings, while Luke Weaver secured the save in his postseason debut.

Yankees star Aaron Judge struggled, finishing 0-for-4 with three strikeouts, while Royals standout Bobby Witt Jr. also had a tough night at the plate, going 0-for-5.

The game featured impressive defensive plays, including Juan Soto throwing out Salvador Perez trying to score from second base in the second inning. Kansas City first baseman Yuli Gurriel also showcased his arm, preventing runs in the first and fifth innings.

As the series heads into Game 2 after a day off, the Yankees and Royals will continue their storied playoff rivalry, with the Yankees looking to build on this hard-fought victory.