Billy McKinney stepped up Friday evening because the Yankees’ unlikely hero, utilizing his bat and glove to assist New York finish a four-game dropping streak and keep away from one other loss to a last-place crew.
The journeyman McKinney, who spent the season’s first two months at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, slugged a three-run residence run within the fourth inning to place the Yankees up for good of their 5-4 win over the lowly Royals.
Filling in for the banged-up Harrison Bader in heart area, McKinney additionally made a sliding catch within the third inning and a leaping seize towards the wall within the seventh to rob Kansas City of extra-base hits.
The Royals had taken a 3-1 lead on a Michael Massey three-run homer within the high of the fourth when McKinney answered together with his blast over the proper area wall within the backside of the body.
Franchy Cordero and Gleyber Torres additionally hit solo homers. All three of the Yankees’ houses got here towards Royals rookie Alec Marsh, who was making his fourth profession begin.
The Yankees overcame an uneven outing by beginning pitcher Clarke Schmidt, who retired the primary 9 Royals hitters however in the end surrendered three runs in 5.2 innings. Yankees relievers Wandy Peralta, Michael King, Tommy Kahnle and Clay Holmes mixed to pitch 4.1 innings of one-run ball to complete off the sport.
The win over the Royals — who, at 28-71, are the second-worst MLB crew — was much-needed for the Yankees, who had been coming off a disastrous highway journey by which they dropped two of three to the NL-worst Rockies earlier than being swept by the middling, Mike Trout-less Angels. New York additionally misplaced collection this month to the Cardinals, who had been in final place within the NL Central on the time, and the Cubs, who’re additionally beneath .500.
Friday was the Yankees’ first residence recreation because the All-Star break — and their first time carrying Starr Insurance patches on their jersey sleeves as a part of a company sponsorship.
McKinney initially debuted with the Yankees in 2018, however he solely performed two video games with them earlier than being traded to the Blue Jays that season. He additionally performed with the Brewers, Mets, Dodgers and A’s earlier than returning to the Yankees.
The 28-year-old McKinney continues to offer a spark for an embattled Yankees outfield that’s lacking reigning AL MVP Aaron Judge, who suffered a torn ligament in his proper huge toe on June 3. McKinney is hitting .247 — effectively above his .209 profession common — with a .793 OPS. His residence run Friday was his fifth of the season.
Bader left Wednesday’s recreation towards the Angels with bruised ribs after being hit by a pitch, however supervisor Aaron Boone mentioned earlier than Friday’s recreation that he was doing effectively. Bader may have been an choice off the bench, Boone mentioned, however he didn’t play.
The Yankees dropped 9 of their earlier 11 video games coming into Friday and had solely scored greater than 4 runs in three video games over that stretch.
A win over the Royals on Saturday or Sunday would give the Yankees their first collection victory of July. All-Star Game starter Gerrit Cole, who’s 9-2 with a 2.78 ERA this season, is scheduled to pitch Saturday afternoon towards Kansas City’s Brady Singer, who’s 6-8 with a 5.70 ERA.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com