Alex Verdugo hit a tiebreaking single in the seventh inning and saved at least one run with a sliding catch along the left-field line, boosting the New York Yankees over the Kansas City Royals 6-5 on Saturday night in their AL Division Series opener.New York’s Gleyber Torres and Kansas City’s MJ Melendez hit two-run homers in a back-and-forth game in which the Royals wasted leads of 1-0, 3-2 and 5-4 and the Yankees failed to hold 2-1 and 4-3 margins. It was the first postseason game with five lead changes, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.Kansas City pitchers tied their season high with eight walks, forcing in a pair of runs in the fifth inning. The Yankees were just 1 for 11 with runners in scoring position before Verdugo lined a single off loser Michael Lorenzen.Verdugo’s hit scored Jazz Chisholm Jr., who singled leading off and stole second on a play allowed to stand following a video review. Yankees manager Aaron Boone started Verdugo in left over rookie Jasson Domínguez in a defense-influenced decision. Verdugo entered the game in a 2-for-34 skid at the plateRoyals-Yankees Recap:Top of the ninth inning: Yankees pitcher Luke Glover gets a one-two-three inning to close out Game 1 in New York. Bottom of the eight inning: Lucas Erceg gets the job done and holds the Yankees scoreless to keep the margin at one. Top of the eighth inning: A quiet inning for the Royals and Kansas City is down to its last three outs in Game 1. Bottom of the seventh inning: Verdugo singles home a run, giving New York a 6-5 lead. The single follows a controversial call at second base, where it appeared Chisholm Jr. was thrown out attempting to steal.Top of the seventh: Yankees reliever Clay Holmes gets an easy one-two-three inning, one of the first in a while during this game.Both teams are well into their bullpens. The Yankees have used three pitchers, while the Royals have used five.With Game 2 not until Monday, both teams have the opportunity to be more flexible with their bullpens.Bottom of the sixth: The Yankees respond again, this time tying the game on a Wells single to right field. However, New York strands two more runners and the game remains tied at 5.Top of the sixth inning: For the second time in the game, the Royals have regained the lead after allowing two runs in the Yankees' previous half-inning.Garrett Hampson, in pinch-hitting duty, singled home two runs to give Kansas City a 5-4 lead.Bottom of the fifth inning: The Yankees tied the game with a single and three walks. Wacha was pulled after walking the leadoff hitter. Angel Zerpa came on in relief but allowed a single to Soto and walked Judge and Wells, tying the game.Royals relief pitcher John Schreiber walked in the Yankees' fourth run of the game. New York leads 4-3. The Yankees scored two runs in the inning on just one hit, while Royals pitching walked four batters. Top of the fifth inning: Kansas City goes down one-two-three on two fly outs and a strike out. Bottom of the fourth inning: Wacha wiggled out of another jam, getting Verdugo to fly out. The Yankees left runners on second and third.Top of the fourth inning: The Royals respond with a two-run home run of their own. MJ Melendez' two-run blast put Kansas City back on top, 3-2. Bottom of the third inning: The Yankees strike back. After leading the majors in home runs this season, the Yankees get their first in the postseason. Torres' two-run homer gives New York a 2-1 lead in the third inning.Top of the third inning: A relatively quick inning for the Royals. Kansas City couldn’t capitalize on a one-out single by Massey. Witt Jr. flied out to center field, while Pasquantino struck out.Bottom of the second inning: After a challenging first inning, Wacha had a one-two-three inning in the second. Chisholm and Volpe both flew out, and Wacha struck out Cabrera to end the inning. Top of the second inning: An eventful half-inning leads to the first run of the game. Pham's sacrifice fly to center field brought home Gurriel. It could have been a more promising inning after the first three runners reached base, but Perez was thrown out at home by Soto.Royals lead 1-0. Bottom of the first inning: After walking the leadoff hitter and allowing Soto to double, Wacha managed to escape a jam. He struck out Judge, Torres was thrown out at home on a fielder's choice, and Stanton struck out as well.Top of the first inning: It was a one-two-three inning for Cole, but there were a few brief scares. Michael Massey drove the ball deep to right field on the first pitch of the game, and Bobby Witt Jr. sent one to the gap that Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge managed to track down.
NEW YORK —
Alex Verdugo hit a tiebreaking single in the seventh inning and saved at least one run with a sliding catch along the left-field line, boosting the New York Yankees over the Kansas City Royals 6-5 on Saturday night in their AL Division Series opener.
New York’s Gleyber Torres and Kansas City’s MJ Melendez hit two-run homers in a back-and-forth game in which the Royals wasted leads of 1-0, 3-2 and 5-4 and the Yankees failed to hold 2-1 and 4-3 margins.
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It was the first postseason game with five lead changes, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.Kansas City pitchers tied their season high with eight walks, forcing in a pair of runs in the fifth inning.
The Yankees were just 1 for 11 with runners in scoring position before Verdugo lined a single off loser Michael Lorenzen.
Verdugo’s hit scored Jazz Chisholm Jr., who singled leading off and stole second on a play allowed to stand following a video review.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone started Verdugo in left over rookie Jasson Domínguez in a defense-influenced decision. Verdugo entered the game in a 2-for-34 skid at the plate
Royals-Yankees Recap:
Top of the ninth inning: Yankees pitcher Luke Glover gets a one-two-three inning to close out Game 1 in New York.
Bottom of the eight inning: Lucas Erceg gets the job done and holds the Yankees scoreless to keep the margin at one.
Top of the eighth inning: A quiet inning for the Royals and Kansas City is down to its last three outs in Game 1.
Bottom of the seventh inning: Verdugo singles home a run, giving New York a 6-5 lead. The single follows a controversial call at second base, where it appeared Chisholm Jr. was thrown out attempting to steal.
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Alex Verdugo RBI single!@Yankees lead! #Postseason pic.twitter.com/bxfPQOlQt4
— MLB (@MLB) October 6, 2024
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Safe or out? pic.twitter.com/Un5sZonGZi
— Baseball Quotes (@BaseballQuotes1) October 6, 2024
Top of the seventh: Yankees reliever Clay Holmes gets an easy one-two-three inning, one of the first in a while during this game.
Both teams are well into their bullpens. The Yankees have used three pitchers, while the Royals have used five.
With Game 2 not until Monday, both teams have the opportunity to be more flexible with their bullpens.
Bottom of the sixth: The Yankees respond again, this time tying the game on a Wells single to right field. However, New York strands two more runners and the game remains tied at 5.
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Austin Wells ties it up for the @Yankees! #ALDS pic.twitter.com/zK3DfpNny7
— MLB (@MLB) October 6, 2024
Top of the sixth inning: For the second time in the game, the Royals have regained the lead after allowing two runs in the Yankees' previous half-inning.
Garrett Hampson, in pinch-hitting duty, singled home two runs to give Kansas City a 5-4 lead.
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— MLB (@MLB) October 6, 2024Another lead change!
Garrett Hampson and the @Royals are ahead AGAIN 😯 #ALDS pic.twitter.com/LwOjKPXeDd
Bottom of the fifth inning: The Yankees tied the game with a single and three walks. Wacha was pulled after walking the leadoff hitter. Angel Zerpa came on in relief but allowed a single to Soto and walked Judge and Wells, tying the game.
Royals relief pitcher John Schreiber walked in the Yankees' fourth run of the game. New York leads 4-3.
The Yankees scored two runs in the inning on just one hit, while Royals pitching walked four batters.
Top of the fifth inning: Kansas City goes down one-two-three on two fly outs and a strike out.
Bottom of the fourth inning: Wacha wiggled out of another jam, getting Verdugo to fly out. The Yankees left runners on second and third.
Top of the fourth inning: The Royals respond with a two-run home run of their own. MJ Melendez' two-run blast put Kansas City back on top, 3-2.
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MJ MELENDEZ GRABS THE LEAD RIGHT BACK FOR THE @ROYALS! #ALDS pic.twitter.com/eYhEXbeEWJ
— MLB (@MLB) October 5, 2024
Bottom of the third inning: The Yankees strike back. After leading the majors in home runs this season, the Yankees get their first in the postseason. Torres' two-run homer gives New York a 2-1 lead in the third inning.
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GLEYBER TORRES FOR THE LEAD! #ALDS pic.twitter.com/pmkKaKFhZM
— MLB (@MLB) October 5, 2024
Top of the third inning: A relatively quick inning for the Royals. Kansas City couldn’t capitalize on a one-out single by Massey. Witt Jr. flied out to center field, while Pasquantino struck out.
Bottom of the second inning: After a challenging first inning, Wacha had a one-two-three inning in the second. Chisholm and Volpe both flew out, and Wacha struck out Cabrera to end the inning.
Top of the second inning: An eventful half-inning leads to the first run of the game. Pham's sacrifice fly to center field brought home Gurriel. It could have been a more promising inning after the first three runners reached base, but Perez was thrown out at home by Soto.
Royals lead 1-0.
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The @Royals are on the board first! #ALDS pic.twitter.com/lse3tNRK8u
— MLB (@MLB) October 5, 2024
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Juan Soto cuts down a run at the plate! #ALDS pic.twitter.com/xk0j6ZiTfW
— MLB (@MLB) October 5, 2024
Bottom of the first inning: After walking the leadoff hitter and allowing Soto to double, Wacha managed to escape a jam. He struck out Judge, Torres was thrown out at home on a fielder's choice, and Stanton struck out as well.
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— MLB (@MLB) October 5, 2024Runners on 2nd and 3rd, no outs.
Michael Wacha emerges unscathed! #ALDS pic.twitter.com/yoDSgcIMh5
Top of the first inning: It was a one-two-three inning for Cole, but there were a few brief scares. Michael Massey drove the ball deep to right field on the first pitch of the game, and Bobby Witt Jr. sent one to the gap that Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge managed to track down.