The Kansas City Royals won 4-2 over the New York Yankees after Salvador Perez hit a solo homer in the fourth inning. This win brought the AL Division Series even at one game apiece.
After a shaky display by Cole Ragans, who held on for 4 innings, the Royals relief squad successfully kept away the Yankees. Tommy Pham and Garrett Hampson each contributed vital singles to the team’s impressive rally.
Rearranging the Batting Order Pays off
Garcia, who was moved from the ninth spot to the first in the Royals lineup, made a significant contribution with four hits. The Royals will play their first postseason home match since winning the World Series in 2015 when they host game three of a best-of-five series on Wednesday.
Ragans said that Kansas City’s home stadium, Kauffman Stadium, was a “whole new series” when they hit the K.
Yankees Struggle to Capture
Aaron Judge, the New York Yankees’ power hitter who is expected to finish just behind Judge in the AL MVP voting, had a similar night, going 0 for 5. His series total now stands at 1 for 7 and four strikeouts. Bobby Witt Jr. had a similar night. He went 0 for 5, and was expected to finish just behind Judge as the AL MVP. This leaves him with a score of 0 for 10 on the series.
Relievers Stand Tall
All four Division Series games are now tied at 1-1, a historic first since the Division Series was created in 1995. The winning pitchers Angel Zerpa, John Schreiber, and Kris Bubic each followed up with a hitless frame before Kris Bubic pitched two scoreless frames. Lucas Erceg earned his third postseason save in the ninth inning despite giving up a home run by Jazz Chisholm Jr.
Perez’s Experience Shines
Perez, the sole survivor of the Royals’ 2015 championship squad, evened the score by launching a slider 2-0 into the left field stands. The veteran, a nine-time All-Star, boasts an impressive record against Carlos Rodón, the Yankees’ pitcher, having hit 12 for 26 (.462) with three home runs when Rodón pitched for the Chicago White Sox.
Upcoming Matches
Clarke Schmidt (5-5 with a 2.85 ERA) will make his first postseason appearance for the Yankees in game three. The Royals will start Seth Lugo (16-9; 3.00), a pitcher who shut out the Yankees in seven innings during a 5-0 win earlier this season. Both teams will be looking to gain an advantage in the next matchup at Kauffman Stadium.
