NEW YORK – Austin Wells hit a three-run home run to lead the way in the seventh inning and added an RBI double in the eighth as the New York Yankees pulled away with a 10-4 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Monday night to extend their lead in the AL East.
The Yankees (83-61) surpassed last season’s win total and were now 1 1/2 games ahead of the Orioles, who suffered a 12-3 loss in Boston.
Aaron Judge hit a single to tie the game against James McArthur, and four pitches later, Wells hit a 2-1 fastball into the lower rows of the right-field bleachers to extend New York’s lead to 7-4.
The 404-footer was Wells’ seventh in his last 36 games since July 21 and sixth as New York’s cleanup hitter behind Judge.
Hunter Renfroe opened the sixth with a home run, giving the Royals a 4-3 lead before the Yankees started a comeback against McArthur (5-7) and scored the last seven runs of the game.
Gleyber Torres hit an infield single after shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. made a pike stop and Juan Soto drew a walk. Judge, who hasn’t hit a home run in 13 games, then hit a single to left that easily scored Torres.
Jasson Domínguez hit a single, stole third base and scored New York’s first run on a throwing error by catcher Salvador Perez. Alex Verdugo hit a two-run homer to give the Yankees a brief 3-2 lead.
Verdugo hit his second home run since the All-Star break after the Yankees moved Domínguez to regular duty in left field. Domínguez started in center field and was 1 for 4 while Judge was the designated hitter.
Torres hit an RBI single in the eighth inning before Wells hit a double off the left outfield wall and the Yankees scored double-digit runs for the 13th time this season.
Perez hit a home run, went 4-for-4 and scored the first three runs for Kansas City as the Royals took advantage of the shaky defense to take an early lead.
He hit an RBI single against Carlos Rodón in the first inning after Tommy Pham started the game by reaching a good base on a throwing error by third baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr., who made a low throw to first base.
Perez hit a home run in the third inning to give the team a 2-0 lead and tied the game with a single on a pop-up in the fifth inning following a miscommunication between Torres and Soto.
Rodón allowed four runs (three earned) and six hits in six innings.
Jake Cousins (2-1) picked off pinch hitter Kyle Isbel in the seventh inning and Luke Weaver allowed two runs in the eighth. Ian Hamilton pitched a 1-2-3 inning in his first appearance since June 16.
Kansas City starter Brady Singer allowed three runs and five hits in five innings.
TRAINING ROOM
Yankees: INF DJ LeMahieu (right hip impingement) was placed on the 10-day injured list and may miss the remainder of the season. … INF Jon Berti was activated after missing 90 games with a left calf strain.
Next
Royals RHP Seth Lugo (15-8, 3.08 ERA) will face New York RHP Marcus Stroman (10-7, 4.03) on Tuesday.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
