NEW YORK — Alex Verdugo hit a tiebreaking single in the seventh inning and saved at least one run with a sliding catch along the left-field line, boosting the New York Yankees over the Kansas City Royals 6-5 on Saturday night in their AL Division Series opener. New York's Gleyber Torres and Kansas City's MJ Melendez hit two-run homers in a back-and-forth game in which the Royals wasted leads of 1-0, 3-2 and 5-4 and the Yankees failed to hold 2-1 and 4-3 margins. It was the first postseason game with five lead changes, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
"What a game!" Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. Kansas City pitchers tied their season high with eight walks, forcing in a pair of runs in the fifth inning. The Yankees were just 1 for 11 with runners in scoring position before Verdugo lined a single off loser Michael Lorenzen.
Verdugo's hit scored Jazz Chisholm Jr., who singled leading off and stole second on a play allowed to stand following a video review. "I think we did have a really good argument that that should have been overturned," Royals manager Matt Quatraro said.
Boone started a slumping Verdugo in left over rookie Jasson Domínguez in a decision influenced by defense. "I feel like I'm pretty real with myself," Verdugo said. "As in fans booing me, fans getting on me.
I understand it. I was booing myself, too." Verdugo entered in a 3-for-25 skid at the plate.
"I just kind of let it spiral out of control a little bit," Verdugo said. "For me, it was just really.