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 Shortstop Derek Jeter collected two RBIs in his final
regular-season game at Kauffman Stadium and right-hander Michael
Pineda pitched into the seventh inning as the New York Yankees
drubbed the Kansas City Royals 8-1 on Monday night.
The Yankees have won five straight, matching their longest winning
streak of the season and remain in the playoff hunt. They also won
five straight in April.
Left fielder Martin Prado, center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury and second
baseman Stephen Drew homered for the Yankees, who have won 13 of
their last 21 games. Ellsbury hit a two-run homer in the ninth and
drove in three runs.
The crowd of 31,758 gave Jeter a standing ovation in the ninth and
chanted "Derek Jeter" as he came to the plate. The fans continued
applauding as he returned to the dugout after grounding out, and
many headed out for the exits after his at-bat.
"It's something I'll remember, I've enjoyed coming here, playing
here in my career and for them to show appreciation was pretty
special," Jeter said.
He said he was caught off guard "maybe a little" by the standing
ovation in the ninth inning.
"I don't ever suspect it," Jeter said. "But the way fans have
treated me pretty much everywhere we've gone this year has been
pretty special. I don't expect them to do it, but those are the
things I'll take away from each city that I've gone the last time,
the fans have been awesome. There were probably some Yankee fans
cheering, maybe some Royals fans that have enjoyed booing me over
the years, and they're happy to see me go."
Prado homered to left-center to start the Yankees' four-run seventh.
The inning also included run-producing singles by Ellsbury and
Jeter. Ellsbury scored on catcher Brian McCann's sacrifice fly to
right. Ellsbury was initially called out at home, but the call was
reversed after Yankees manager Joe Girardi requested a replay
review.
The retooled Yankees remain in the playoff picture.
"I think it's really helped, the trades that we've made," McCann
said. "Pineda coming back and Brandon McCarthy stepping up and
adding (Chris) Capuano, we made a lot of moves and it's definitely
helped us."
Pineda (3-2) held the Royals to one run and five hits over 6 1/3
innings to pick up his first victory since April 16 and going on the
60-day disabled list with a shoulder injury.
Right-hander James Shields (12-7), who was 3-0 with a 2.17 ERA in
his first four August starts, gave up six runs on 10 hits, including
two homers, and three walks in 6 2/3 innings to absorb the loss.
Shields' career record dropped to 9-16 against the Yankees.
"For the last month or so, I think I've been pitching pretty well
for the most part," Shields said. "I had a little hiccup today, but
that's part of the game. Sometimes you get hit. There are a lot of
good hitters over there, a lot of good veteran hitters especially.
That's not a ballclub you can take lightly."
Drew, mired in a 4-for-32 skid, homered on a Shields' full-count
pitch with one out in the fourth, giving New York a 2-1 lead. Drew
laced a solo shot just inside the right-field foul pole.
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The Yankees opened the scoring in the top of the third without the ball
leaving the infield. Right fielder Ichiro Suzuki led off with an infield
single, and he advanced to second on Shields' throwing error. After
rookie third baseman Zelous Wheeler walked, Suzuki moved to third on
Ellsbury's fielder's choice groundout. Suzuki scored when Jeter grounded
out to shortstop.
Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas tied the game 1-1 with a homer
leading off the bottom of the third.
"After the homer, I tried to be a little more aggressive in the count
and tried to make a good pitch," Pineda said. "I'm very happy today. We
win the game, good day for everybody."
Moustakas drove a 1-1 pitch to right for his 15th home run, which ties
him for the Royals' lead.
"Pineda was really good," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "He's got a 94
miles per hour fastball. He has a really good changeup, a 90 miles per
hour changeup that looks like his fastball, but had a little dip to it,
just enough to get you off of it. He had two different types of breaking
balls -- a real hard slider that cut and broke down and a slurvy slower
breaking ball that was really, really good. He pitched a great game."
The Royals have lost two straight for the first time since late July.
"It's going to happen," left fielder Alex Gordon said. "We'll bounce
back. We're not too worried about it."
NOTES: Royals Charities presented Jeter a $10,000 donation for his Turn
2 Foundation before the game. A video tribute to the Yankees captain was
also shown in pregame ceremonies. The event was originally scheduled for
June 9 but was rained out. ... Royals 1B Eric Hosmer, who went on the
disabled list Aug. 1 due to a fractured right hand, received clearance
Monday to take dry swings after undergoing a CT scan. If he has no
setbacks, Hosmer hopes to begin a minor league rehab assignment next
week. ... LHP Danny Duffy (8-11) starts Tuesday in the series opener
against the Minnesota Twins and RHP Ricky Nolasco (5-9). ... Yankees RHP
Brandon McCarthy (5-2) faces Tigers RHP Rick Porcello (14-8) at Detroit
on Tuesday.
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