Cano, Yanks Bust Out In Win Over Royals

Finally!

That’s how the New York Yankees must have felt after breaking out of a recent offensive slump to blast the Kansas City Royals, 10-4 Sunday afternoon in Kansas City.
Although Billy Butler gave the Royals a 1-0 lead in the first with an RBI double scoring Alex Gordon, it was virtually all Yanks from there. Raul Ibanez tied it in the second with an RBI single and the Yanks barbecued K.C. with six runs in the third, keyed by Robinson Cano’s eighth-career grand slam and a Nick Swisher solo shot.

Cano was off to an awful start for the ‘Stripes, garnering just four RBI coming into the contest but surpassed all-time Yankee great Tony Lazzeri with just one swing of the bat. Lazzeri had seven career grand slams in a brilliant career in New York. The eighth-year Yank is well on his way to greatness, as well, already approaching 250 doubles (245), 150 homers (145) and 1,300 hits (1,291).

If Cano can keep a hot stick going it will help the Yanks, who scored just 11 runs in their previous five games, immensely.

Solid pitching will also aide the Bombers, who got just that from Phil Hughes who allowed just three runs over a season-high 6 2/3 innings. Hughes fanned seven batters in improving to 2-4, while reducing his ERA to a still lofty 6.67. Three Yank relievers mopped up, including Rafael Soriano who threw a perfect eighth while notching a strikeout.

The Yanks improved to 15-13, while the Royals dropped to 9-18 as Luke Hochevar flopped in his start in allowing seven runs over 2 1/3 frames.