Yanks Pound Royals 15-6

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Kansas City	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	2		6	10	1
N.Y. Yankees	6	4	1	0	0	0	4	0	X		15	17	0

The Yankees slugged four homers on their way to an easy 15-6 victory over the Kansas City Royals. Today's victory game the Yankees their first series win in five series, and with Boston losing to Toronto today the Yankees are no five games behind in the Wild Card.

It didn't look like this one was going to be an easy one at the start when the Mike Mussina allowed the Royals to score 3 runs in the first. But Mussina settled down, retiring the last 14 batters he faced, and the Yankees bats took care of the rest to give Moose his 16th win of the season. Before Royals' starter Brian Bannister could record his fourth out of the game the Yankees had already score 10 times.

Alex Rodriguez got the Yankees on the board with a three-run homer in the bottom of the 1st to tie the game. Xavier Nady gave the Yankees the lead with a solo shot two batters later. After adding two more in the first to extend their lead to 6-3, Jason Giambi smashed a grand slam in the 2nd to put the game away.

Every Yankee starter with the exception of Johnny Damon got a hit today. Derek Jeter went 4-for-4 with 3 runs scored, A-Rod went 3-for-3 with a HR and 5 RBI, and Brett Gardner, Robinson Cano, and Xavier Nady had two hits each. And in his first Yankee at-bat Cody Ransom hit a 2-run homer into the stands in left.

*** Phil Hughes rehab start update ***

I will have more in the minor league recap, but just a quick summary of Hughes' rough outing tonight for Scranton/Wilkes-Barret. In 3.2 innings, he allowed 5 earned runs on 8 hits, he did not walk a batter, and struck out four 4. He also allowed a homer. He threw 91 pitches, 63 of them for strikes.

This most likely means his return to the Bronx will be delayed at least another start, maybe two.

Here's more on Hughes' start from Chad Jennings.

	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Damon, DH-LF	4	2	0	0	2	1	2	.313
Jeter, SS	4	3	4	0	0	0	0	.295
Betemit, SS	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.261
Abreu, RF	3	2	1	1	2	0	4	.289
Christian, RF	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.250
Rodriguez, A, 3B	3	3	3	5	2	0	0	.313
Traber, P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Britton, P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Giambi, 1B	4	1	1	4	0	1	3	.251
a-Ransom, PH-3B	1	1	1	2	0	0	0	1.000
Nady, LF-1B	4	1	2	1	1	0	0	.327
Cano, 2B	5	1	2	0	0	1	1	.266
Molina, C	5	1	1	1	0	0	3	.227
Gardner, CF	5	0	2	1	0	0	1	.192
Totals	38	15	17	15	7	3	14
a-Homered for Giambi in the 7th.
BATTING 2B: Molina (17, Bannister), Abreu (31, Fulchino). 3B: Gardner (1, Bannister). HR: Rodriguez, A (28, 1st inning off Bannister, 2 on, 1 out), Nady (20, 1st inning off Bannister, 0 on, 2 out), Giambi (24, 2nd inning off Bannister, 3 on, 0 out), Ransom (1, 7th inning off Fulchino, 1 on, 2 out). TB: Jeter 4; Abreu 2; Rodriguez, A 6; Giambi 4; Ransom 4; Nady 5; Cano 2; Molina 2; Gardner 4. RBI: Rodriguez, A 5 (77), Nady (75), Molina (13), Gardner (9), Giambi 4 (72), Abreu (80), Ransom 2 (2). 2-out RBI: Nady; Molina; Gardner; Rodriguez, A 2; Abreu; Ransom 2. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Damon; Gardner; Giambi 2. GIDP: Abreu. Team LOB: 7. BASERUNNING SB: Damon (21, 2nd base off Bannister/Buck), Jeter (9, 2nd base off Bannister/Buck).

ROYALS OFFENSE

	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Mussina (W, 16-7)	6.0	6	3	3	0	5	0	3.35
Traber	2.0	2	1	1	0	1	0	5.65
Britton	1.0	2	2	2	1	1	1	4.63

ROYALS PITCHING

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Alex Rodriguez (3-for-3, HR, 5 RBI, 3 R, 2 BB)

HONORABLE MENTION: Derek Jeter (4-for-4, 3 R)

The Yankees have an off day tomorrow before heading to Toronto to take on the Blue Jays in a three game series at Rogers Cerntre. Darrell Rasner will start the opener for the Yanks, and he will face A.J. Burnett. First Pitch: 7:07 p.m. - TV: YES - Radio: WCBS 880.