Yankees 6-3 Royals: Captain Judge leads team to all-round show
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Follow UsNew York Yankees 6-3 Kansas City Royals
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Aaron Judge maintained his explosive offensive run with a third straight game featuring a home run, while Clarke Schmidt delivered six commanding innings as the New York Yankees secured a 6-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday evening at Kauffman Stadium.
The triumph elevated the Yankees (40-23) to a flawless 5-0 record against the Royals this season while improving to 12-3 in the season series since the beginning of 2024 — including their postseason success last autumn.
Judge’s Offensive Tear Continues
Judge, who connected for two homers Sunday at Fenway and launched a 469-foot blast Tuesday, went deep once more in the seventh inning against Steven Cruz — a solo drive that increased his RBI total to eight across the previous three contests. The shot represented his 23rd homer this season, sustaining a blistering pace that has renewed AL MVP discussion.
The slugger’s current form has impressed his manager and teammates, with his swing mechanics appearing locked in and his plate discipline remaining exemplary throughout this remarkable stretch.
Five-Run Rally Overwhelms Royals Early
The Yankees seized control early with a devastating five-run second inning, sending 10 batters to face Royals starter Kris Bubic (5-4). The explosion began following a crucial walk drawn by Jazz Chisholm Jr., who subsequently departed with left groin tightness. Plate umpire Lance Barrett’s missed third-strike call on Chisholm appeared to shift the inning’s momentum toward New York.
Paul Goldschmidt drove home two runs during the surge, maintaining his consistent production since joining the lineup. DJ LeMahieu and Oswaldo Peraza also contributed with timely hits, while Chisholm scored before his injury occurrence.
Schmidt Crafts Brilliant Performance
Schmidt (3-3) was exceptional in his return to peak form. The right-hander permitted just two hits across six shutout frames, striking out seven while allowing only one baserunner beyond first — achieved solely due to a first-inning balk. The outing marked his sixth career appearance without suffering defeat against Kansas City.
The pitcher displayed remarkable command of his four-pitch arsenal, attacking the strike zone aggressively while maintaining excellent tempo throughout his stellar performance.
Royals Mount Late Rally, Come Up Short
Kansas City (34-34) remained scoreless until the ninth inning when Salvador Perez connected for a two-run homer against reliever Nick Ramirez to prevent the shutout. However, Devin Williams entered with two runners aboard and one out, closing the door to secure his eighth save this season.
Prior to that moment, the Royals’ defensive highlight occurred in the fifth, when they executed an outstanding 5-4-3 double play on LeMahieu’s hard-hit grounder — with third baseman Maikel Garcia making the play while tumbling to the ground and firing from his back.
Injury Watch
Jazz Chisholm’s departure with left groin tightness requires careful monitoring. The versatile outfielder has provided significant value atop the batting order, and any prolonged absence could impact the Yankees’ recent surge. No immediate postgame update was available.
Yankees roster
| hitters | AB | R | H | RBI | HR | BB | K | AVG | OBP | SLG |
| P. Goldschmidt 1B | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.312 | 0.367 | 0.457 |
| B. Rice DH | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.239 | 0.323 | 0.487 |
| A. Judge RF | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0.394 | 0.49 | 0.779 |
| C. Bellinger LF | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.26 | 0.332 | 0.454 |
| J. Chisholm Jr. 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.214 | 0.323 | 0.45 |
| O. Peraza 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.17 | 0.252 | 0.31 |
| A. Volpe SS | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.248 | 0.323 | 0.453 |
| T. Grisham CF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.242 | 0.348 | 0.474 |
| D. LeMahieu 2B | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.279 | 0.372 | 0.397 |
| A. Wells C | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.228 | 0.293 | 0.476 |
| pitchers | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | HR | PC-ST | ERA |
| C. Schmidt(W, 3-3) | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 91-54 | 3.6 |
| B. Headrick | 1.1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 23-16 | 4.73 |
| F. Cruz | 0.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8-4 | 3.38 |
| M. Leiter Jr. | 0.1 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 13-9 | 4 |
| D. Williams(S, 8) | 0.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8-5 | 5.92 |
Up Next
Yankees RHP Will Warren (4-3, 5.34) starts the series finale Thursday night. RHP Seth Lugo (3-5, 3.46) goes for Kansas City.
Warren seeks to rebound from recent inconsistency while keeping the Yankees perfect against Kansas City this season. With a four-game winning streak and an AL-leading +94 run differential entering Thursday, the Bombers are targeting their seventh sweep of 2025.
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- Categories: Aaron Judge, Clarke Schmidt, Post Game Recaps
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