Melky Cabrera hit a solo homer against his former team, and Jeff Francoeur drove in a pair of runs as the Royals took a 5-3 lead through three innings. But Danny Duffy couldn’t hold down the Yankees who blew the game open with a five-run fourth inning in a 9-7 win over the Royals.
Duffy’s night came to a close when Home Run Derby star Robinson Cano hit a three run homer into the fountains after a 12 pitch battle from Duffy. That homer knocked Duffy out of the game.
Billy Butler hit a two-out single in the first inning, Eric Hosmer followed with an RBI double and Francoeur lined a single to give the Royals a 2-0 lead, but Duffy gave up three to the Yankees in the third. The Royals fought back. Alcides Escobar started the rally with a triple to left, and Alex Gordon’s chopper to third base brought him home. Cabrera followed with his 16th homer, and Butler singled and Francoeur doubled to give the Royals a 5-3 lead off Yankees starter Ivan Nova.
Mariano Rivera eventually closed out the win, notching his 27th consecutive save against the Royals, going all the way back to May of 1999.
