Following up their Sunday night performance in Boston, when the Royals scored eight runs in the sixth, they tacked on five runs in the seventh on Monday night for an 8-5 win over the Yankees to open this three-game series.

The Royals scored three in the first inning on three RBI singles, andĀ Alcides Escobar connected for a three-run shot during theĀ seventh.

Dillon Gee improved to 6-and-7, holding New York to one run over six innings.

The Royals are 18-and-4 in their last 22 and closed to within two games of the second wild card.