Yankees Crush Royals Behind Schmidt’s Masterpiece… But a Ninth-Inning Meltdown Nearly Ruins It All 😱

There’s something special about watching a pitcher settle into a groove, especially on the road. Clarke Schmidt didn’t just throw pitches Wednesday night — he delivered a performance. Like a virtuoso on stage, Schmidt commanded the mound at Kauffman Stadium, shutting down the Kansas City Royals with pinpoint cutters and sharp breaking balls.

His dominant outing helped the New York Yankees secure a 6-3 victory — their second straight win in Kansas City — and improve to 41-25. With momentum on their side, they’re firmly in control of the AL East.

Yankees Explode Early

The Yankees wasted no time. In the second inning, they lit up Royals ace Kris Bubic — who entered the game with the best ERA in the American League — for five quick runs. New York pounced on every mistake, stringing together hit after hit to leave Kansas City reeling.

It was the kind of inning that sends a message: this offense isn’t just dangerous — it’s relentless. And with that early cushion, Schmidt went to work.

Schmidt Steps Up

Schmidt was locked in. Over six shutout innings, he allowed just two hits and struck out seven. The 29-year-old righty continues to turn heads, lowering his ERA to 3.60 on the season — and an even more impressive 2.90 over his last seven starts.

No longer just a back-end rotation guy, Schmidt is starting to look like a key piece of the Yankees’ long-term plans.

Judge Stays Hot

Even on an off night, Aaron Judge can still steal the show. Though he struck out twice, he crushed his 25th homer of the year, raising his league-leading average to .394 and extending his RBI total to 59.

MVP talk may seem early, but Judge is putting up numbers that could make a serious run at the Triple Crown — something not seen since Miguel Cabrera’s historic 2012 season.

Late-Inning Scare

Not everything went smoothly. Holding a 6-0 lead in the ninth, the Yankees brought in Mark Leiter Jr. to finish the game. But the Royals fought back — four hits and three runs later, including a two-run homer by Salvador Perez, forced manager Aaron Boone to call in closer Devin Williams.

Williams handled business quickly, striking out one and ending the game on a groundout. The late-inning stumble didn’t cost them, but it was a reminder that even big leads can disappear fast — and reliable bullpen arms remain crucial.