Yankees 4-3 Royals: Judge’s bat comes alive in series sweep
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Follow UsNew York Yankees 4-3 Kansas City Royals
Aaron Judge ended his 10-game power outage with perfect timing Wednesday evening, crushing a decisive solo shot in the seventh frame that carried the New York Yankees to a nail-biting 4-3 triumph over the Kansas City Royals. The victory completed a three-game sweep at the Stadium and highlighted the continuing upward trajectory for the Pinstripers as they gain steam in the season’s second month.
Judge Rediscovers Power Stroke, Secures Series Sweep
Judge’s crucial blast couldn’t have arrived at a better moment. With the score knotted at 3-3 to begin the seventh, the Yankees‘ captain connected solidly on Royals reliever John Schreiber’s (1-1) 1-0 sinker, sending it soaring into the right-center field bullpen. The homer marked his first since April 4 in Pittsburgh and silenced whispers about his recent power decline.
The round-tripper highlighted Judge’s stellar night at the plate, where he collected three hits and reached base four times while pushing his major league-best batting average to .409. This performance marked his third three-hit outing of the young campaign. During his last 11 contests, Judge has posted a scorching .382 average (13-for-34), demonstrating his increasing rhythm after a sluggish beginning to the season.
Volpe, Bellinger Provide Early Offensive Spark
The Yankees jumped ahead early thanks to timely hits from Anthony Volpe and Cody Bellinger. Volpe cracked a two-run double in the third inning against Royals starter Kris Bubic, breaking a 1-1 deadlock. Bellinger followed with an RBI double in the fourth to extend the lead to 3-1, continuing his recent offensive resurgence from the heart of the lineup.
Bubic (2-1) yielded three runs across 5 1/3 innings, surrendering seven hits to New York. He looked sharp through two innings before encountering trouble when facing the Yankees’ batting order for a second time.
Schmidt Impresses in Season Debut
Right-hander Clarke Schmidt made his first appearance of the year for the Yankees after recovering from rotator cuff tendinitis. Schmidt worked 5 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on four hits with four strikeouts. At one point, he retired 11 Royals batters in succession before Kansas City mounted a comeback to even the score in the fifth.
Drew Waters began the fifth with a single and later scored on Kyle Isbel’s RBI triple. Isbel subsequently crossed home on Jonathan India’s groundout, leveling the contest at three runs apiece. Earlier, Salvador Perez had given Kansas City a brief 1-0 advantage with an RBI single in the opening frame, but Schmidt regained his composure afterward, providing New York with valuable innings in his return to the mound.
Cruz Secures First Career Save
Following Schmidt’s exit, Mark Leiter Jr. (2-1) delivered four crucial outs without allowing any damage. The Yankees then handed the ball to Fernando Cruz, who navigated two scoreless frames to earn the first save of his big-league career.
The ninth inning brought momentary anxiety. With the potential tying run at second base, MJ Melendez stroked a sinking liner to right that appeared destined to drop for a hit. However, Bellinger, increasingly showcasing the defensive prowess that made him a standout fielder during his National League tenure, made a full-extension diving catch to secure the victory.
Yankees Continue Hot Streak, Royals’ Struggles Persist
The sweep reinforced the Yankees’ dominance over Kansas City at home, a team they’ve now bested in 20 of their previous 23 completed series dating back to 2015, including postseason matchups. New York’s win marked its third consecutive victory and underscored the team’s improved ability to close out tight contests.
The Royals, meanwhile, have dropped five of their last six games and continue to struggle away from Kauffman Stadium. Though Kansas City showed competitive flashes throughout the series, they couldn’t contain New York’s offense in pivotal moments.
Yankees roster
| hitters | AB | R | H | RBI | HR | BB | K | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| P. Goldschmidt1B | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.348 | 0.397 | 0.47 |
| C. BellingerRF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.185 | 0.242 | 0.296 |
| A. JudgeDH | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.409 | 0.519 | 0.803 |
| J. Chisholm Jr.2B | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.176 | 0.273 | 0.471 |
| A. VolpeSS | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.219 | 0.32 | 0.469 |
| A. WellsC | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.182 | 0.258 | 0.418 |
| T. GrishamCF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.308 | 0.386 | 0.641 |
| J. DominguezLF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0.259 | 0.355 | 0.407 |
| O. Peraza3B | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.217 | 0.25 | 0.435 |
| pitchers | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | HR | PC-ST | ERA |
| C. Schmidt | 5.2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 73-46 | 4.76 |
| M. Leiter Jr.(W, 2-1) | 1.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 15-8 | 3.52 |
| F. Cruz(S, 1) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 27-16 | 2.79 |
Up Next
Thursday, May 16 — Steinbrenner Field, Tampa, FL
- Yankees starter: RHP Will Warren (1-0, 5.14 ERA)
- Rays starter: RHP Taj Bradley (2-0, 3.71 ERA)
- First pitch: 6:40 p.m. ET
The Yankees travel south to begin a four-game road series against the Tampa Bay Rays. Rookie right-hander Will Warren, fresh off securing his first major league victory last weekend, makes his second career start as New York aims to maintain its strong performance against AL East rivals.
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