The New York Yankees moved back to one game above .500 with a 3-2 win Tuesday night over the Kansas City Royals in Game 2 of their three-game series at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees are now 22-21 on the year, and five games behind the Baltimore Orioles in the AL East.
Phil Hughes (4-5) pitched six innings and struck out seven while giving up five hits and two earned runs to earn the victory. The Royals scored one run in the third inning, and another in the fourth when Jeff Francoeur took Hughes deep to left for his third home run of the season. The solo shot gave the Royals a 2-0 lead before the Yankees rallied. Hughes pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth inning.
Robinson Cano put the the Yankees on the board with fourth inning solo home run of his own. The shot was his fourth on the year. Derek Jeter finally ended the Yankees' woes with runners in scoring position in the fifth inning with an RBI single to score Mark Teixeira. Curtis Granderson followed Jeter with a ground out to score Russell Martin and give the Yankees a 3-2 lead. Royals starter Luke Hochevar (3-5) took the loss. He struck out eight, and gave up six hits and two earned runs in his 6 2/3 innings of work.
Rafael Soriano earned his third save of the season, giving up just one hit in the ninth inning. The Yankees went 2-for-7 with runners in scoring position after going 0-for-13 on Monday night.
Game 3 of the series is set for 7:05 p.m. ET at Yankee Stadium. Andy Pettitte (1-1, 2.51 ERA) will take on Luis Mendoza (2-2, 5.03) at the mound.
-- For more on the Yankees, see Pinstripe Alley.