Baseball | Yankees score early and often to rout Royals

New York Yankees center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury, left

New York’s Brett Gardner, Brian McCann and Chase Headley homered during an eight-run first inning that set up the Yankees’ 14-1 romp over Kansas City yesterday (Macau time).
The one-sided victory moved the Yankees back within half a game of the American League East division lead, while the Royals’ lead in the Central was trimmed to two games.
In the key National League encounters, there were wins for the three divisional leaders: East leader Washington edged the Chicago Cubs, St. Louis beat Arizona in extra innings to extend its Central lead to 4-1/2 games, while the West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers came from behind to defeat Atlanta.
New York’s Stephen Drew added a three-run homer at the start of the second innings, meaning Royals starter Jeremy Guthrie had given up 11 runs before the team made an out in the second.
The Yankees, coming off a sweep by Texas, snapped a six-game losing skid. The Yankees won for just the second time in 12 games, beating the team that began the day with the best record in the majors.
Washington’s Wilson Ramos hit a tiebreaking homer in the sixth inning and the Nationals hung to edge the Cubs 2-1.
Washington pitcher Tanner Roark (1-2) — making his first start of the season in place of the injured Doug Fister — allowed one run in five innings.
The Nationals have won eight of their past nine.
St. Louis’ Jhonny Peralta hit a game-ending homer in the 10th inning, lifting the Cardinals to a 3-2 victory against Arizona.
Peralta’s leadoff drive over left field on a 1-2 pitch from J.C. Ramirez (1-1) was his fourth career game-winning homer. The Cardinals improved played five extra-inning games at home this month, winning four of them.
The Diamondbacks stranded five runners on base over the last two innings.
Los Angeles’ Andre Ethier, Alex Guerrero and Jimmy Rollins each homered in the eighth inning, rallying the Dodgers past Atlanta 6-3.
Ethier got things started, homering to snap a 2-2. Earlier, in the first inning, he drew a bases-loaded walk for the team’s first run.
Pinch-hitter Guerrero sent a 3-1 pitch into the left-field pavilion, scoring A.J. Ellis, who walked, to make it 5-2. With two outs, Rollins homered for a 6-2 lead.
The Dodgers lead the majors in homers this season, with 60 in 44 games.
Baltimore edged Houston 4-3, handing Astros pitcher Dallas Keuchel his first loss of the season.
Caleb Joseph and Steve Pearce both hit two-run homers off Keuchel to account for all the Orioles’ runs.
Keuchel (6-1) came in with a 1.67 ERA and had allowed just one home run in nine appearances this season before Joseph connected in the second inning and Pearce went deep in the seventh.
Keuchel did go eight innings to notch his first complete game of 2015.
Minnesota’s Ricky Nolasco struck out five in 7-plus innings to guide the surging Twins to a 7-2 win against Boston.
Nolasco (5-1) gave up two runs to win his fifth straight start since coming off the disabled list.
Trevor Plouffe hit a three-run homer for Minnesota, which had 16 hits and won its majors-leading 16th game this month. After starting the season 2-8, the Wins are now just two games off the AL Central lead.
Seattle’s Robinson Cano shook off a batting slump and drove in two runs to help the Mariners win 4-1 at Tampa Bay.
Seattle took a 2-0 lead in the first on RBI singles by Cano and Nelson Cruz. Cano entered the game hitless in his previous 12 at-bats. He made it 3-1 on a run-scoring single in the eighth.
Mariners starter Roenis Elias (2-1) gave up one run in six innings.
The Rays have lost three in a row and saw their lead in the AL East trimmed to half a game.
Los Angeles’ Albert Pujols hit a two-out, broken-bat single with the bases loaded in the ninth inning, giving the Angels a 4-3 walk-off win over San Diego.
Padres closer Craig Kimbrel struck out one and intentionally walked reigning AL MVP Mike Trout, but Pujols followed with a hit through the left side of the infield to win it.
New York’s Wilmer Flores hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in the sixth inning to give the Mets a 6-3 win against Philadelphia.
Oakland won a third straight game for the first time this season, beating Detroit 4-0, with Jesse Hahn pitching a shutout in his first career complete game.
San Francisco’s Hunter Pence hit a two-run double that capped a seven-run rally in the sixth innings which lifted the Giants to an 8-4 win at Milwaukee.
Texas extended its winning streak to six by defeating Cleveland 10-8 despite Josh Hamilton going hitless in his return to the majors.
Pittsburgh notched its fourth successive win as Charlie Morton pitched seven strong innings in his return from hip surgery and led the Pirates to a 4-2 victory over Miami.
Toronto’s Drew Hutchison pitched his second career shutout to steer the Blue Jays to a 5-0 win against the Chicago White Sox.
Colorado sent Cincinnati to its ninth straight loss, with Nolan Arenado having three hits including a homer and then driving in the tiebreaking run with a sacrifice fly in the ninth inning for a 5-4 victory. AP