Yankees bats, Clarke Schmidt shine as Bombers roll past Royals again
Share and Follow

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The league’s television network produces a show called “MLB Big Inning.”

The Yankees are apparently trying to commandeer it for their own use.

The Yankees continued their season-long trend of showcasing the depth of their lineup by scoring five runs in the second inning on Wednesday. This offensive outburst propelled them to a 6-3 victory over the Royals at Kauffman Stadium.

Clarke Schmidt made sure the one big inning was enough as he tossed six shutout innings while striking out seven to help clinch the series victory for the Yankees (41-25), who will go for the sweep on Thursday.

Aaron Judge added an insurance run with his 25th home run of the year, a 413-foot solo shot in the seventh inning.

He finished the night batting .394 with a 1.269 OPS.

The Royals (34-34) scored three runs off Mark Leiter Jr. in a sloppy bottom of the ninth, but Devin Williams came on to calm the waters and pick up his eighth save of the year.

Once again, though, the Yankees were left holding their breath after Jazz Chisholm Jr. left the game early for a second straight night, this time with groin tightness after running the bases in the top of the fifth inning.



The second-inning outburst marked the 17th time this season the Yankees have scored five or more runs in an inning after doing so in 15 innings all of last season.

Making this one more impressive was that it came against the starter who had been the best in the major leagues at preventing runs entering the night.

Royals lefty Kris Bubic came into the game with a 1.43 ERA on the season, having allowed just three earned runs over his past six starts spanning 39 ¹/₃ innings.

He had not allowed more than four runs in any of his first 12 starts, but then gave up five to the Yankees in that second inning alone.

This one happened in a hurry.

Cody Bellinger got it started, jumping on the first pitch of the inning and lining it to the gap for a triple.

Chisholm followed by working an eight-pitch walk before Anthony Volpe grounded into a fielder’s choice that scored Bellinger for the 1-0 lead.

With two outs, after DJ LeMahieu drew a four-pitch walk, Austin Wells stayed hot by drilling an RBI double to make it 2-0.

The catcher had five RBIs in Tuesday’s 10-2 win and is batting .311 (14-for-45) with a .973 OPS over his past 13 games.

Wells’ 42 RBIs through 66 team games have him on pace for 103 over the full season, which would make him the first Yankees catcher to eclipse the century mark since Jorge Posada in 2003.

That flipped the order over for Paul Goldschmidt, who roped a two-run single to right before Ben Rice followed with an RBI single that extended the lead to 5-0.

That was plenty of run support for Schmidt, who scattered just two hits and three walks in a strong outing.

He kept hitters off balance for most of the night, especially with his knuckle-curveball and sweeper.

Schmidt also got some help from Trent Grisham, who made a terrific diving catch in right-center field to rob Drew Waters of a hit in the second inning.

Grisham did it again in the eighth inning with a runner on second base, keeping the shutout intact at the time by laying out to snag a sinking liner from Bobby Witt Jr. Both plays were initially ruled hits before the Yankees challenged and the replay reviews overturned the call on the field.

The Royals finally got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the ninth.

Vinnie Pasquantino led off with a pop-up that fell between Wells and Oswald Peraza before Salvadaor Perez made it hurt by crushing a two-run shot off Leiter.

Nick Loftin followed with an infield single to third base before John Rave hit a comebacker to the left of the mound that Leiter tried to reach back for only to deflect it, collect the ball and then make a wild throw to first base that allowed another run to score.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like
Virginia vs. Missouri prediction: Odds, picks, best bet for Gator Bowl

Virginia vs. Missouri Gator Bowl Showdown: Expert Predictions, Betting Odds, and Top Picks Revealed

Gambling content 21+. The New York Post may receive an affiliate commission…
Downfall of newlywed who murdered wife as tragic note reveals secret

Tragic Unveiling: Newlywed’s Descent After Wife’s Murder and Discovery of Hidden Note

On the surface, the Kenney family seemed like the epitome of a…
Russia strikes Ukraine ahead of Trump-Zelensky meeting

Russia’s Aggressive Move: Airstrikes in Ukraine Set the Stage for High-Stakes Trump-Zelensky Summit

In a series of early morning strikes on Ukraine, Russia has left…
Here's how to watch Patriots vs. Jets live for free

Stream Patriots vs. Jets Live: Your Ultimate Guide to Watching for Free!

New York Post may be compensated and/or receive an affiliate commission if…
Palisades councilmember blasts city after shocking doc on wildfires

Palisades Councilmember Criticizes City Following Revealing Documentary on Wildfires

An LA City Council member representing the Palisades has voiced concerns that…
Iran declares 'full-scale war' with US as nuclear tensions escalate

Iran Announces Full-Scale Conflict with US Amid Escalating Nuclear Tensions

Iran’s president has declared that the nation is engaged in a “full-scale…
Chevy Chase opens up about memory issues in upcoming documentary

Chevy Chase Reveals Struggles with Memory Loss in Candid New Documentary

Chevy Chase has opened up about experiencing memory loss following a significant…
Texas teenager's final words before she left home and vanished

Texas Teen’s Mysterious Disappearance: Last Words Before Leaving Home Spark Concern

A Texas teenager, missing since Christmas Eve, expressed her love to her…