Kansas City, MO – Robinson Cano hit a grand slam as the New York Yankees hammered the Kansas City Royals, 10-4, to close out a four-game set at Kauffman Stadium.
Alex Rodriguez added a three-run homer and Nick Swisher also went deep for the Yankees, who won for the second time in three games.
Phil Hughes (2-4) allowed three runs on six hits and a walk while striking out seven through 6 2/3 innings to earn the win.
Luke Hochevar (2-3) was touched for seven runs on seven hits and a walk in just 2 1/3 innings for Kansas City, which had won three of its last four entering the game.
"When you give up a grand slam, that's not what you want," Hochevar said. "I just need to get to square one, figure it out, get things going and start helping this club."
Derek Jeter led off the game by slapping the first pitch off the right-center field wall for a double. But he would advance no further as Curtis Granderson flied out to shallow center field before back-to-back grounders by Rodriguez and Cano ended the inning.
Kansas City was able to take the lead in the bottom of the frame when Alex Gordon worked a one-out walk and rounded the bases on Billy Butler's double into the right-center field gap.
But the Yankees answered in the second when Mark Teixeira walked, moved to second on a Swisher groundout and came home on Raul Ibanez's base hit to right field.
After the Royals stranded a runner on third in the home second, New York started its onslaught in the third with three straight singles by Dewayne Wise, Jeter -- who bunted for a hit -- and Granderson. The latter scored Wise.
Rodriguez was then hit by a pitch to load the bases and Cano hammered a ball over the right-center field wall for a grand slam. Swisher added a solo shot to right two batters later to give the Yankees a 7-1 advantage and knock Hochevar out of the game.
"I was looking to get a hit and at least two RBI. Good thing I made a good swing on the pitch," said Cano.
The Royals got a run back in the fifth inning when Irving Falu singled, moved to second on a wild pitch and came home on a Gordon base hit.
Humberto Quintero's home run in the seventh inning brought Kansas City within 7-3, but Rodriguez smacked a three-run homer to right-center field in the eighth to put the game out of reach.
Jarrod Dyson's RBI single in the bottom of the ninth accounted for the final margin.
Game Notes
Granderson's single in the third inning was his 1,000th career hit. He has now reached base safely in a career-best 27 straight games...Cano's grand slam was the eighth of his career...Hochevar fell to 0-2 in four career appearances against the Yankees.
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.