Alex Verdugo rewarded manager Aaron Boone’s faith in him by driving an RBI single, which proved to be the game-winner, in the bottom of the seventh inning to lift the New York Yankees to a 6-5 victory over the Kansas City Royals in Game 1 of the ALDS on Saturday night at Yankee Stadium.
In what was the Bronx Bombers’ first game in nearly a week, one of the largest questions about heading into the postseason was if Boone would go with Verdugo, who had batted .205 since June 15, of the promising prospect in slugger Jasson Dominguez.
With another chance to prove himself, Verdugo took advantage, going 2-for-3 with that vital RBI, which was set up after Jazz Chisholm singled and stole second.
The Yankees found just enough offense to let ace Gerrit Cole off the hook after yet another difficult outing in what has been a down season. He allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits in five innings of work with four strikeouts and two walks.
After Gleyber Torres put the Yankees up 2-1 with a two-run home run in the bottom of the third, Cole gave it right back in the top of the fourth by yielding a two-run round-tripper to MJ Melendez to make it a 3-2 game.
Torres started a Yankees rally in the fifth with a lead-off walk against Royals starter Michael Wacha, who was promptly pulled following the free pass — though the move did not help Kansas City to stabilize.
Reliever Angel Zerpa gave up a single to Juan Soto and walked Aaron Judge to load the bases before walking Austin Wells to tie the game at three apiece. Following another pitching change, the Yankees were gifted the go-ahead run when reliever John Schreiber walked Anthony Volpe.
The Royals came up with another immediate reply in the top of the sixth when Garrett Hampson drove in a pair of runs off reliever Tim Hill to put the visitors back up 5-4.
Wells picked up his second RBI of the night to tie the game at five apiece with a single to right, scoring Verdugo from second. With runners at the corners and two outs, Giancarlo Stanton’s slow chopper could have given the Yankees the lead, but the slow-footed DH, who might not have been busting it out of the batter’s box, was thrown out by the diving Maikel Franco.
New York’s bullpen combination of Clay Holmes, Tommy Kahnle, and Luke Weaver combined to throw 3.2 scoreless innings to preserve the Yankees’ win.
