Stanton Powers Yankees To Game 3 Win

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Giancarlo Stanton hit a go-ahead homer in the eighth inning amid a battle of bullpens, and the New York Yankees beat the Kansas City Royals 3-2 on Wednesday night in Game 3 of their AL Division Series at Kauffman Stadium.

Stanton finished with three hits, drove in two runs and stole a base for the first time in four years for the Yankees, who will turn to six-time All-Star pitcher Gerrit Cole on Thursday night with a chance to reach the American League Championship Series.

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The Royals answered with two in the fifth, sending a roar through the K. Kyle Isbel got them on the board with a two-out double to left, and Michael Massey ripped a sinking liner that somehow missed Soto’s glove in right for an RBI triple.

That was the last of the scoring until Stanton’s homer helped put New York on the brink of the ALCS.

In a game dominated by pitching, the Royals used four relievers before starter-turned-bullpen ace Kris Bubic took over for the eighth. He struck out Austin Wells before Stanton hit a 3-1 pitch nearly 420 feet to left field to give New York the lead.

The Royals tried to answer off Luke Weaver in the bottom of the eighth, getting Bobby Witt Jr.'s first hit of the series and a two-out single by franchise stalwart Salvador Perez. But the unflappable Weaver recovered to get Yuli Gurriel to fly out, then he took care of the ninth to earn the save and cap 4 1/3 scoreless innings by the New York bullpen.

Yankees relievers have not allowed an earned run in 13 2/3 innings this postseason.

The Yankees will send Cole (8-5, 3.41 ERA) to the mound Thursday night. for the Royals RHP Michael Wacha (13-8, 3.35 ERA) gets the start.