Kansas City Royals’ 4-game win streak ends in series opener at New York Yankees

The Kansas City Royals stepped into the spotlight on Monday night against the New York Yankees.

KC didn’t shy away from pressure moments in the series opener at Yankee Stadium. However, one swing and a leaky bullpen proved to be the difference as the Royals fell 10-4.

The loss snapped a four-game winning streak for the Royals (79-66).

Catcher Austin Wells hit a three-run home run to give New York the lead in the seventh inning. Wells belted the homer off Royals reliever James McArthur.

The Yankees’ win was their 83rd of the year, helping them keep pace with the Baltimore Orioles in the American League East.

The Royals, meanwhile, are now 3 1/2 games behind the Cleveland Guardians for first place in the AL Central. KC maintains a 2 1/2-game lead over the Minnesota Twins for the second spot in the AL Wild Card standings.

Here are three takeaways from Monday’s game:

Royals take advantage of early mistakes

The Royals were aggressive in the first inning. Outfielder Tommy Pham hustled down the line to force a hasty throw from Yankees third baseman Jazz Chisholm.

Pham later stole second base and reached third on another error. Perez drove him home with an RBI single and the Royals took a 1-0 lead.

In the third inning, Perez powered a four-seam fastball into the left-field seats. He added a bloop single in the fifth inning when Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres failed to catch the baseball.

Witt, who was at first for Perez’s bloop, circled the bases and scored the Royals’ third run with a slide at the plate. He never broke stride as third base coach Vance Wilson waved him home.

“That was super amazing, scoring from first base on the pop-up behind second base,” Perez said, via Bally Sports Kansas City. “It’s incredible and he is one of the best players in the league right now.”

The Royals needed the early runs. They helped set the stage for a late rally, but outfielder Hunter Renfroe recorded what would prove to be KC’s final run with a solo homer in the sixth inning.

Perez finished with four hits and three RBIs. It was his first four-hit game of the 2024 season.

Royals’ bullpen falters vs. Yankees’ lineup

The Royals held a 4-3 lead heading into the final innings.

After Renfroe’s homer provided the late advantage, Royals manager Matt Quatraro turned to relievers Sam Long and James McArthur to protect the lead.

Long worked 1 1/3 scoreless innings. In the sixth, he escaped trouble by pitching around a leadoff walk and a wild pitch. He struck out Jasson Dominguez and Anthony Rizzo and also retired shortstop Oswaldo Cabrera to end the threat.

McArthur ran into trouble in the seventh inning. He allowed a run on Judge’s RBI single and ultimately gave up the homer to Wells.

“Tough four hitters right there,” Quatraro said, via the Royals. “Really came down to not getting the swing-and-miss. (McArthur) got guys to two strikes and couldn’t put them away. Those are good hitters. He came in at the top of the order and we know that is a big spot in the game.”

Five of the Yankees’ 10 runs Monday came via a pair of home runs. McArthur left a four-seam fastball slightly over the plate and Wells didn’t miss that mistake.

“I left a fastball down to Wells there and he put a good swing on it,” McArthur said, via Bally Sports Kansas City. “Just got to execute a better pitch right there.”

Royals reliever Chris Stratton allowed three more runs in the eighth inning. The Yankees scored seven times against the Royals’ bullpen while New York’s relievers didn’t surrender a run.

McArthur took the loss and dropped to 5-7 this season. He now has seven blown saves in 55 relief appearances.

Brady Singer earns no-decision

Right-handed starting pitcher Brady Singer kept the Royals in the game. He allowed three earned runs in five innings against the dynamic Yankees lineup.

Singer surrendered all three runs in the fourth inning. Yankees outfielder Alex Verdugo registered the big blow with a two-run homer.

“Brady battled to keep us in the game,” Quatraro said. “It wasn’t his sharpest outing of the year but we know challenging that lineup is to navigate and he kept us in the game.”

Singer threw 49 of his 92 pitches for strikes. He struck out three and walked three.

What’s next on the KC Royals’ schedule:

The Royals are back in action in New York on Tuesday night. All-Star pitcher Seth Lugo will draw the start at Yankee Stadium.

Lugo is 15-8 with a 3.05 ERA this season. He allowed four runs and struck out 10 in a June 10 matchup against the Yankees. Lugo will look for his ninth road victory of the 2024 season.

The Yankees will start veteran right-hander Marcus Stroman. He is 10-7 with a 4.03 ERA this year.