Yankees hit 6 homers, every starter has at least 2 hits for first time amid a 15-1 romp over Royals

The Yankees finished with 24 hits against Kansas City, their most since a game against Baltimore on July 30, 2011.

Cam Schlittler (7-2) allowed his third homer of the year, a solo shot by Bobby Witt Jr., but little else over six innings. It was the seventh time in his last eight starts that Schlittler allowed one earned run or fewer, and he struck out six without issuing a walk.

The Royals sent Bailey Falter (0-2) out against him to lead off a designated bullpen game. He wound up allowing as many runs (seven) as he recorded outs, and the Yankees proceeded to pull away against Luinder Avila and the rest of the Kansas City staff.

That included backup outfielder Tyler Tolbert, who threw a diet of 44 mph lobs in the ninth inning.

Bellinger started the damage for New York by homering for the second straight game, a two-out shot in the first. Paul Goldschmidt followed with a double and, when the Royals thought they were out of the inning on a sinking liner right fielder Jac Caglianone lazily snared at grass level, a challenge by Yankees manager Aaron Boone showed the ball had touched the ground.

Rather than escaping the inning down 1-0, the Royals trailed 2-0 with a runner on base. Rosario made it 4-0 a couple of pitchers later, sending Falter's hanging curveball 420 feet over the left-field fence, and the Yankees were on their way.

Up next

Yankees RHP Gerrit Cole (0-0, 0.00 ERA) makes his second start since Tommy John surgery when he faces Royals LHP Noah Cameron (2-3, 4.72) in the series finale Wednesday night. Cole allowed two hits over six scoreless innings against Tampa Bay last Friday night. It was his first major league game since Game 5 of the 2024 World Series against the Dodgers.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB