NEW YORK - Jeremy Guthrie neatly handled a nemesis and a long rain delay to pitch into the seventh inning, Billy Butler homered and the Kansas City Royals beat the New York Yankees 5-1 on Monday night.
All-Star Alex Gordon, David Lough and Johnny Giavotella each had RBI doubles, and Alcides Escobar added a run-scoring triple to help the Royals end a five-game skid against New York.
Guthrie (8-6) held a Yankees starting lineup that had only four players that were with the team on opening day to just three hits over six innings that included a 59-minute delay for a sun shower-hailstorm in the fourth.
Leading 5-1, closer Greg Holland was needed in the ninth when Lyle Overbay walked and Luis Cruz singled to start the inning against Luke Hochevar. Holland gave up a hit to Chris Stewart to load the bases. But Holland struck out Eduardo Nunez, Brett Gardner and Zoilo Almonte to end it for his 21st save.
Guthrie struck out the newest member in pinstripes, Travis Ishikawa, twice before Overbay homered pinch hitting for the first baseman who was claimed off waivers from Baltimore on Sunday. Overbay’s 10th of the year was New York’s first long ball in six games.
Entering 4-9 with a 5.15 ERA against the Yankees in 17 appearances - 15 starts - Guthrie left with runners on first and third and two outs in the seventh. Tim Collins relieved and struck out pinch-hitter Nunez to protect a 3-1 lead.
Aaron Crow relieved Collins in the eighth with two on and two out. He forced Vernon Wells to ground out to second.
The Yankees have lost two in arow after a season-best six consecutive victories.
With the sun reflecting off the windows of a building beyond center field, rain and hail sent fans scurrying for cover in the bottom of thethird inning. The quick moving cloud was gone before Phil Hughes (4-8) threw his first pitch of the fourth. Hughes retired three in a row, then the rain returned.
After Guthrie got an out, crew chief Dana DeMuth called for the tarp. The grounds crew struggled to cover the increasingly muddy infield, getting stuck halfway then pulling the huge sheet off and starting again. The biggest cheer of the night - until Overbay’s home run in the seventh - came when the crew finished the job.
RANGERS 8, ORIOLES 5 Ian Kinsler capped a six-run sixth inning with a bases-loaded double, and Texas beat host Baltimore in a rematch of last year’s AL wild-card game.
RAYS 7, TWINS 4 Yunel Escobar and Ben Zobrist homered during a three-run seventh inning and surging Tampa Bay beat visiting Minnesota. Alex Torres (3-0) pitched a perfect seventh for the Rays, who have won nine of 10 and moved to a season-best 10 games over .500 (50-40). Escobar also had a sacrifice fly in the eighth.
NATIONAL LEAGUE PHILADELPHIA 3, NATIONALS 2 John Lannan (2-3) pitched four-hit ball over eight innings against his former team, Ben Revere had three hits and host Philadelphia beat Washington. Lannan (2-3) had four strikeouts in his longest outing in four years. Jonathan Papelbon allowed two runs in a shaky ninth to earn his 19th save in 23 tries.
BRAVES 7, MARLINS 1 (14) Justin Upton broke a tie by driving in two runs when he doubled in a six-run 14th inning for visiting Atlanta’s first hit since the sixth, helping the Braves beat Miami. BREWERS 4, REDS 3 Carlos Gomez robbed Joey Votto of a potential go-ahead home run with a spectacular catch in center field in the ninth inning, saving host Milwaukee’s victory over Cincinnati.
INTERLEAGUE ATHLETICS 2, PIRATES 1 Bartolo Colon(12-3) allowed one run over seven innings and visiting Oakland won for the ninth time in their past 12 games, beating Pittsburgh. Colon, 40, moved into a tie for second in the majors in victories.
CUBS 8, WHITE SOX 2 Matt Garza pitched seven strong innings, Alfonso Soriano homered and scored four runs, and the visiting Chicago Cubs pulled away late to beat the White Sox.
Monday’s games NATIONAL LEAGUE Philadelphia 3, Washington 2 Atlanta 7, Miami 1 (14) Milwaukee 4, Cincinnati 3 LA. Dodgers 4, San Francisco 1 Colorado at San Diego, (n) NY Mets at San Francisco, (n) AMERICAN LEAGUE Detroit 4, Cleveland 2 (10) Kansas City 5, NY Yankees 1 Texas 8, Baltimore 5 Tampa Bay 7, Minnesota 4 Boston at Seattle, (n) INTERLEAGUE Oakland 2, Pittsburgh 1 Chicago Cubs 8, Chicago White Sox 2
Sports, Pages 20 on 07/09/2013