The New York Yankees won 13-4 against the Kansas City Royals at Yankee Stadium on April 19, breaking a streak of close games with a high-scoring performance. Cody Bellinger hit two home runs and drove in five runs, while Ben Rice and Amed Rosario also homered to support pitcher Will Warren’s seven-inning outing.
This game marked a change for the Yankees, who have played many tight contests this season. Manager Aaron Boone said after the game, “We got a really outstanding start, and for the bats to do that with multiple contributions up and down the lineup — that was good to see.”
Bellinger commented on the relief of playing a less stressful game: “These are nice, for sure. We’ve had a few close ones recently; had a crazy series against the Angels. Will did a great job of just doing what he does, and for us to get a few runs on the board, that was big for us.”
Warren matched his career high with 11 strikeouts over seven innings without allowing any walks. He said about pitching with an early lead: “It’s nice to go out there with a lead. You’re not worried about giving up one or two. I’m able to keep my composure knowing that the boys are banging that day.”
J.C. Escarra contributed offensively as well, turning an outfield error into extra bases before adding more hits later in the game. “I’m glad I was able to hit some balls hard,” Escarra said.
Bellinger reflected on his approach against left-handed pitchers: “Even going through the Minor Leagues…no one talked about lefty-lefty matchups…You’ve got to have your plan and just continue putting your swing on the ball.” Boone joked about Bellinger’s power surge: “He’d hit one homer in two months since the start of spring, and then two in an hour.”
Looking ahead, Bellinger summed up team morale by saying: “We’re feeling good, we’ve got a lot of baseball left, and we’re just going to keep on rolling.”
