James Shields kept making critical pitches to escape trouble, Lorenzo Cain and Mike Moustakas drove in runs and the Kansas City Royals squeaked out a 2-1 win over the Yankees on Sunday.
The Royals have won the last seven games that Shields (7-3) has started, and he’s earned the win in four of those. The veteran right-hander lasted six innings in his latest effort, giving up six hits to the punchless Yankees but only allowing only one unearned run.
The Royals scored both of their runs off Hiroki Kuroda (4-4) in the second inning. That was enough for Shields, who turned the 2-1 lead over to his stingy bullpen and watched it hold up.
Aaron Crow escaped a jam in the seventh inning, and Wade Davis recorded the 500th strikeout of his career during a perfect eighth before Greg Holland survived a shaky ninth for his 18th save.
