A-Rod clubs 49th homer as Yanks edge Royals

Sep 8, 2007, 4:15 GMT

Kansas City, MO - Alex Rodriguez finished 3-for-4 and hit his major-league leading 49th home run of the season as New York edged Kansas City, 3-2, in the first of three between the clubs at Kauffman Stadium.

The Rodriguez homer, a lead-off shot in the second, was the 513th of his career, passing both Ernie Banks and Eddie Mathews for sole possession of 17th place on the all-time list.

Kyle Farnsworth (2-1) earned the win by pitching a scoreless inning. Ian Kennedy, in his second major-league start, allowed seven hits and two runs with three walks and a pair of strikeouts over five innings.

Jorge Posada also homered for the Yankees, who have won three straight games and who hold a three-game lead in the AL wild card race after Detroit topped Seattle. Bobby Abreu added an RBI double.

Neal Musser (0-1) took the loss, charged with the Yanks' go-ahead run in two- thirds of an inning in relief. Royals starter Gil Meche gave up two runs and five hits over six innings in the no-decision.

Alex Gordon went 2-for-4 and scored a run for the Royals, who have lost three in a row. Mark Grudzielanek and Jason Smith drove in a run each in the loss.

In the seventh facing Musser, Derek Jeter singled with two down and scored on a double to center by Abreu to give New York a 3-2 advantage. Following walks to Rodriguez and Hideki Matsui, Joel Peralta was called upon to face Posada, who was robbed of extra-bases on a great catch by Royals center fielder David DeJesus.

New York loaded the bases in the eighth on singles by Melky Cabrera and Johnny Damon and a Jeter hit-by-pitch, but David Riske kept the game within reach when he fanned Abreu swinging.

The Royals failed to score on Joba Chamberlain in the seventh and eighth, and the young Nebraska-born right-hander shut down the home team with many of his family, including his polio-stricken father in attendance.

'I don't think as a starter he was throwing that hard, but he looks good out there,' said Gordon, who faced his former college teammate. 'He looks confident and that's the big thing up here.'

Mariano Rivera retired the side in order in the ninth for his 24th save.

'That's a big win for us,' Abreu said. 'We start a series over here and our guy pitched a pretty good game. We were just fighting and finally we got the win.'

Kansas City failed to score in the first despite loading the bases, and the home team paid for that mistake when Rodriguez powered a low Meche slider off the top of the wall in left and over for a 1-0 Yankees lead to start the second. Two batters later, Posada cleared the right-field wall for a 2-0 lead.

The Royals responded in their at bat when Gordon doubled, went to third on a passed ball and scored on Smith's single. John Buck singled to move Smith to third and he came home on Grudzielanek's base hit to tie the game, 2-2.

In the sixth, Rodriguez singled and moved to third when Meche's throw to second on Matsui's ground ball sailed into center. Posada grounded into a force at second, but Jason Giambi drew a walk to load the bases. Meche, though, recovered to get Robinson Cano looking to end the threat.

Game Notes

The Yankees own the best record of any AL team against the Central (28-11)...New York has won seven of eight over the Royals this season...Attendance was 27,462.

© 2007 The Sports Network

Game Notes

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