Yankees 3, Royals
The New York Yankees beat the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday to take a 2-1 series lead after a Giancarlo Stanton home run in the eighth inning. The Yankees continue to haunt the Royals in Kauffman Stadium as they improve 4–1 this year. Meanwhile, the Royals will look to stave off elimination and flip the script on Thursday. The Yankees will try and advance to their first ALCS since 2022.
Yankees – Royals Game Summary
What Went Right for the Yankees
Giancarlo Stanton
It felt like the game that Giancarlo Stanton needed in a Yankees uniform. He stepped up with the other right-handed slugger, Aaron Judge, not finding the baseball. He belted the RBI double to open the scoring; he mashed the home run to end the scoring. Also, Stanton stole his first base in four years. He earned three out of the four Yankees’ total hits.
Stanton’s approach to the home run swing? His approach, is none too specific, “I mean, just hit the ball hard. You can’t go up trying to hit a homer. But you put yourself on time, and yeah, bat through the zone on time, and it was a good shot.”
Bullpen
Some Yankees supporters will say this postseason is an irregular for their bullpen, but the irregular is helping them immensely. Clay Holmes, Tommy Kahnle, andLuke Weaver entered the game and held the Royals scoreless. It was a down-the-line performance. Holmes’ impressive postseason performances continue, as he stopped the go-ahead run in the fifth.
What Went Wrong for the Yankees
Stanton’s Shadow
Through Giancarlo Stanton’s performance, he had three out of the four-team hits for the Bronx Bombers. Volpe earned himself a hit as well. The other seven batters did not. Judge lowered his postseason average to .091, Torres to .100. The top of the lineup will look better.
What Went Right for the Royals
Fifth Inning
After struggling to find their momentum all game, a two-out rally for the Royals. After Frazier reached on an infield single, two extra-base hits by Isbel and Massey tied the game. It was all they could muster, but it got the ‘Ya’s back into the game.
What Went Wrong for the Royals
Free Bases
On paper, the Royals had better execution than the Yankees. Thirty-two more strikes were thrown, two more hits, two more total bases, and less man was left on base. The Yankees led the majors in walks last season, and the Royals gave up nine walks on Wednesday. Free bases are horrible if you are pitching, and it bit the Royals.
Royals skipper Matt Quatraro was questioned on if it was either the pitchers command or the Yankees hitters issuing walks. His response was to credit both, “Both. You’ve got to tip your cap to them. They’re not chasing, they’re not expanding, but we also have to do a better job of limiting those for sure.”
Yankees skipper Aaron Boone credited his players for the high number, “That’s who we are. That’s our DNA. That’s what we try to do. From day one in Spring Training that’s what we talk about and these guys go out and live that.”
Vinnie Pasquntino
The newly returned Vinnie Pasquantino’s postseason needs to be salvaged quickly. After an 0-for-3 performance, his total postseason average falls to .105. In an elimination game on Thursday, he needs to come up better.
Quick Hits
The Yankees are 4–1 in Kauffman Stadium in 2024. The Royals will enter their home ballpark for the first time in the 2024 postseason.
The Yankees had the best road record in baseball this season, going 50–31. They are now 1–0 on the road in the postseason.
Looking Ahead
For Game Four, the Royals will hand the ball to veteran Michael Wacha (0–0, 6.75 ERA), while the Yankees will go to Gerrit Cole (0–0, 5.40) at Kauffman Stadium. If the Yankees win, they will take on the Detroit Tigers or the Cleveland Guardians. If the Royals win, Game Five will head back to Yankee Stadium, where it is win or go home for both teams.
