Bullpen move backfires in 4-2 loss to Yankees

Angel Zerpa has a bad sixth inning.

The Yankees scored four runs in the sixth, including a bases-clearing double by Jasson Dominguez off Angel Zerpa, to beat the Royals 4-2 on Tuesday night. The Royals have now dropped four of five on the road trip.

After producing just two hits last night, the Royals offense showed some signs of life early on tonight. MJ Melendez woke out of his April slumber to hit his first home run of the year (and his first RBI of the year!)

After Maikel Garcia reached on an infield single, Bobby Witt Jr. doubled him home to make it 2-0 Royals.

Michael Wacha tossed goose eggs for the first five frames, retiring eight in a row at one point, and seemed to be in command of the game. But he ran into some trouble in the sixth when Aaron Judge chopped a 3-0 grounder up the middle that Michael Massey made a nice sliding play on. Unfortunately his throw bounced to first and Salvy was unable to come up with it cleanly for an infield hit. Wacha struck out the next two hitters, but walked Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Anthony Volpe to load the bases.

Matt Quatraro elected to go with Angel Zerpa out of the bullpen to face left-handed hitter Austin Wells. But Zerpa continued his struggles and had trouble with his command, walking in a run on four pitches. Rookie Jasson Dominguez then laced a pitch down the left field line for a double, allowing all three runners to score to make it 4-2 Yankees.

Max Fried walked a pair of Royals hitters in the seventh, ending his night after 6 ²⁄₃ innings and seven strikeouts. Luke Weaver induced Maikel Garcia to bounce out into a force to end the threat. Weaver and Devin Williams would retire the Royals in order in the eighth and ninth to preserve the win.

The Royals managed just five hits and two walks, and were 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position. Wacha pitched better than his line indicates, getting charged with three runs allowed in 5 2/3 innings with four strikeouts and two walks as he falls to 0-3 on the year. The Royals fall to 8-10 and will have to try to salvage the series tomorrow evening when Kris Bubic faces Clarke Schmidt.