March 29, 2024

Gardner, Gregorius and Carter homer, Yankees beat Royals

NEW YORK (AP) — At this rate, the New York Yankees might want to build a rooting space for Brett Gardner, too.

Gardner kept up his power surge from the leadoff spot, and Didi Gregorius and Chris Carter also homered Monday night as the Yankees beat Jason Vargas again in a 4-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals.

Before the game, the Yankees debuted a new fan section for rookie slugger Aaron Judge — The Judge’s Chambers, with 18 people wearing black judicial robes with his No. 99 in a faux jury box behind his spot in right field.

While Judge went 0 for 3, Gardner hit his ninth home run in the last 21 games, lining a solo drive in the third inning. The leadoff man didn’t have an RBI in the Yankees’ first 18 games.

A reversed call in the seventh kept the Yankees ahead and enabled Michael Pineda (5-2) to top Vargas for the second time in a week. The Royals have lost five of seven.