05/26/26 10:40:00
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05/26 22:38 CDT Yankees get 2 hits from every starter for the first time in
franchise history in 15-1 rout of Royals
Yankees get 2 hits from every starter for the first time in franchise history
in 15-1 rout of Royals
By DAVE SKRETTA
AP Sports Writer
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) --- Yankees manager Aaron Boone watched the hits begin to
pile up on the massive, crown-shaped scoreboard beyond the centerfield wall at
Kauffman Stadium, and he knew that his team was doing something impressive
against the Kansas City Royals.
He didn't know until afterward that it was something historic.
Yes, there were six home runs, including two from Amed Rosario. And the Yankees
put up 24 hits in the 15-1 romp, their most since a game against Baltimore in
July 2011. But what set the performance apart from all others Tuesday night ---
including all those games played by Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio and
Mickey Mantle --- was this simple fact: For the first time in their storied
history, the Yankees got at least two hits from every single player in their
starting lineup.
"I did see all the hits on the board," Boone said afterward, "and I was like,
?Man, you don't see that very often.'"
The Yankees had the benefit of facing the Royals on a designated bullpen day.
Struggling reliever Bailey Falter was first on the mound, and he allowed as
many hits (seven) as he record outs. Luinder Avila wasn't a whole lot better
when he replaced him.
The last of the hits came against outfielder Tyler Tolbert, who threw a steady
diet of 44 mph pitches to get through the ninth inning.
Yet that doesn't take away from one of the impressive hitting performances in
Yankees history. Their hit total tied for their eighth-most ever, and the 24
hits were their most in a road game since Aug. 31, 1974, in a game against the
White Sox.
The six homers were the most by a team in the majors this season.
"The performance they put up today," Yankees pitcher Cam Schlittler said, "that
was awesome to watch."
The barrage began with Cody Bellinger's second homer in as many days, a two-out
shot in the first. But it really gained steam after Paul Goldschmidt's double,
when Ben Rice hit a sinking liner to right field that Royals outfielder Jac
Caglianone lazily grabbed at grass level. Boone challenged the out call, and a
review confirmed that the ball had touched the ground for an RBI single.
Rosario came to the plate next and belted a two-run homer an estimated 420 feet
to left field.
Anthony Volpe added his first homer of the season in the second inning, and the
Yankees piled on four more runs on a steady stream of singles in the third.
Aaron Judge provided an RBI double in the fifth, Trent Grisham went deep in the
seventh, Jazz Chisholm Jr. --- the last of the starters to get two hits ---
homered in the eighth and Rosario hit his second of the game in the ninth.
He sheepishly admitted that he was just trying not to strike out against
Tolbert's languid lobs to the plate.
"It feels good to be part of history," Rosario said through a translator. "It's
a team effort and being part of it is great."
The Yankees have now hit 82 home runs this season, by far the most in the
majors. The Royals, by comparison, have hit 51, including the solo homer that
Bobby Witt Jr. hit in the third inning for their only run of the entire game.
Meanwhile, the 24 hits that the Royals allowed were the fourth-most in a game
in franchise history. Rosario finished with four hits while Grisham, Rice,
Volpe and Austin Wells had three apiece. The rest of the starters each had two.
"Look," Boone said with a smile, "as hard as hitting is --- as hard as it is
now, night-in and night-out --- to have a day where everyone, you know, can
fatten up a little bit, it's good."
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB
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