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Sunday, Apr. 16 1:05pm ET
Yankees remain perfect at home | |||||
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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
NEW YORK (AP) -- Jim Leyritz and Jason Grimsley proved that the New York Yankees still have more than enough depth. Grimsley pitched effectively in his first start in four seasons, and Leyritz got his first hit of the year, a tiebreaking solo homer in the seventh inning, as New York beat the Kansas City Royals 8-4 on Sunday to wrap up a 5-0 homestand. "It was a really terrific week," manager Joe Torre said. "We had a little different look out there. Grimsley gave us just what we needed and we snuck through today." After losing Chili Davis, Darryl Strawberry, Joe Girardi, Chad Curtis and Luis Sojo in the offseason, critics said the Yankees' depth -- a strength as the team won three World Series titles in four years -- could hurt them this season. Five errors by the backup third basemen and Leyritz's 0-for-11 start as the team's best right-handed bat off the bench supported that. But Leyritz, starting consecutive games for the first time this season, led off the seventh against Chris Fussell (1-1) with a long drive to right-center to give the Yankees a 5-4 lead. "That was a ball I wasn't coming close to the last couple of days," Leyritz said. "I just stayed with it. It's a big weight lifted off my shoulders." Leyritz's homer put the Yankees back in front after Jeff Nelson (3-0) blew a 4-2 lead that cost Grimsley a win in his first start since Aug. 19, 1996. Grimsley was forced into a starting role when Andy Pettitte went on the disabled list Thursday. Grimsley, who allowed two runs and six hits in five-plus innings, pitched from the stretch the entire game after sprinting from the dugout to the mound to start the game. "The anthem was a lot longer than I remembered," Grimsley said. "I had some butterflies out there and I wasn't sure where I should be standing. But the only difference between '96 and now is I've forgotten how to throw out of the windup." Ricky Ledee had two doubles and three RBI for the Yankees. Chuck Knoblauch and Paul O'Neill added RBI singles in the eighth. Mike Sweeney went 3-for-4 with three RBI for the Royals, who came to New York having won eight of nine games. He hit a two-run homer, his league-leading seventh, in the fourth inning, and tied the game at 4 with an RBI single in seventh off Nelson. "We had an opportunity to make a statement and we didn't," Royals manager Tony Muser said. "It's a good indication of where we are and where we have to be. Not performing well here tells me we have a lot of work to do." Chad Durbin, who said it would be "neat" to pitch in Yankee Stadium for the first time, appeared nervous at times in his third major league start. He threw 10 straight balls to start the game and even drew mock applause from Yankees fans after his first strike. Then he settled down, retiring nine straight before creating trouble he couldn't get out of in the fourth inning. He walked O'Neill with one out, then misplayed Williams' slow roller back to the mound. He appeared to stumble on his follow through and the ball trickled through his legs for an infield single. Tino Martinez followed with another grounder to the mound, but Durbin wheeled and threw the ball into center field, allowing O'Neill to score New York's first run. Ledee followed with a two-run double to give the Yankees a 3-2 lead. "We spend six weeks in spring training and I didn't mess it up once," said Durbin, who allowed four runs -- three earned -- and four hits in six innings. "The first time this year in a game and I mess it up. I should have had both balls." Ledee added an RBI double in the sixth inning to make it 4-2, but the Royals tied it in the seventh. Nelson walked the first two hitters before giving up RBI singles to Carlos Beltran and Sweeney. Game notesAfter the Royals hit four batters Saturday, Grimsley threw a pitch over the head of Carlos Febles in the first inning. ... The Royals, who entered the game 13-for-14 on steals, stole two bases against Leyritz, catching for the first time this season. Jorge Posada caught the first 87 innings for New York this year. ... Febles has a career-high 11-game hitting streak. ... The Yankees are the only unbeaten team at home. ... Grimsley made his longest outing since throwing eight innings for the Angels against Milwaukee on July 25, 1996. | ALSO SEE Baseball Scoreboard Kansas City Clubhouse NY Yankees Clubhouse RECAPS Boston 5 Oakland 4
NY Yankees 8
Colorado 14
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