Anthony Volpe the hero as Yankees extend dominance over Royals

Anthony Volpe roped a two-run, go-ahead single in the ninth inning, and the New York Yankees won their 12th straight over the host Kansas City Royals 4-3 on Monday.

New York led 2-1 when Kansas City star Salvador Perez matched Royals legend George Brett for the most home runs at Kauffman Stadium with No. 136 there, tying the contest in the sixth. Two innings later, with Jake Bird on the mound, fellow Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. opened the eighth by sending a towering drive well into the left field seats to give Kansas City its first lead at 3-2.

However, with Lucas Erceg (3-2) pitching, New York’s Paul Goldschmidt recorded a one-out, broken-bat infield hit. Jazz Chisholm Jr. followed with a double to right field. That put runners on second and third for Volpe, who scored both with his liner to left.

Tim Hill (2-2) got the win and David Bednar earned his 12th save for New York, which has won four of seven and hasn’t lost to the Royals since Game 2 of the 2024 American League Division Series.

Kansas City’s Michael Wacha completed seven innings for the fifth time this season, allowing two runs, five hits and two walks. Meanwhile, Will Warren was equally effective, giving up two runs, three hits and three walks over six innings for the Yankees.

New York opened the scoring in the second when Cody Bellinger sent the first pitch over the right field fence and into the bullpen. Wacha then issued a two-out walk to Volpe, who went to third on J.C. Escarra’s single and scored via a looping hit to center from Jose Caballero.

Kansas City got a run back in the bottom of the second. Warren issued walks to three of the first four batters, but got out of the inning yielding only Michael Massey’s sacrifice fly.

New York failed to take advantage of a leadoff double by Aaron Judge in the third, and a first-and-third situation with one out in the fourth against Wacha.

Kansas City had won two straight following a 1-10 stretch.