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Royals tip Yankees, halt road skid

Jun 7, 2008 - 3:48 AM By Larry Fleisher PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

BRONX, New York (Ticker) - In just two starts, Kyle Davies has become someone who the Kansas City Royals can depend on to end a lengthy skid.

Davies pitched effectively into the seventh inning and the Royals ended an 11-game road losing streak with a 2-1 victory over the New York Yankees in the opener of a four-game series on Friday.

The win prevented Kansas City from matching the longest road losing skid in franchise history. The Royals set the record in 1997 and matched it in 2006 by losing their first 12 road games.

"I don't think I've won two in a row since my first two starts in the major leagues so it was good to come in here (and win)," Davies said. "We needed a win and we played great defense tonight. If I throw the ball over the plate and don't walk these guys, I've got a chance. If you start walking them and putting them on base, it gets tough."

Three of those games in 2006 were in Yankee Stadium, a place where the Royals rarely have won recently, dropping their previous five games. Friday's win gave them just six wins in their last 39 trips here since the start of the 1998 season.

Davies pitched in one of those contests and it was a memorable one for the Yankees. He was on the mound when Alex Rodriguez hit his 500th career home run on August 4, 2007.

"I would have (been nervous) but last year I think I got them (nerves) all out," Davies said. "A-Rod hit 500 of off me, my first time in Yankee Stadium so I don't think it could be any more loud than it was then. ... I just go out there and got that out of the way last year."

Acquired from Atlanta in a deal involving reliever Octavio Dotel, Davies did not make the Royals out of spring training but became the ace for Class AAA Omaha before being promoted back to the Royals.

He made his first start last Saturday against Cleveland, allowing a run on five hits in five innings and helping snap a 12-game losing streak.

Davies was just as effective Friday, holding the Yankees to one run on seven hits in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out three, walked one and threw 65 of 104 pitches for strikes.

"He has been great in both starts since he came up," Royals manager Trey Hillman said. "He was very composed tonight. This is a different place and it's tough to stay composed. He had a good breaking ball tonight and he was keeping the ball in on lefties."

"He was extremely aggressive and really conscious of trying to get strike one," Kansas City catcher John Buck added. "With a lineup like that, you got to get out (ahead) and you can't fall behind.He was good at getting ahead and when he threw his off-speed ahead, he was good at getting strikes."

Davies appeared to lose a little steam in the seventh when he fell behind Melky Cabrera and allowed an RBI single to cut the lead to 2-1.

Lefthander Ron Mahay relieved and retired Johnny Damon on a foulout before giving up a one-out single to Bobby Abreu. After striking out Alex Rodriguez, he gave up Hideki Matsui's base hit but fanned Jason Giambi.

Giambi's strikeout was an apparent check swing on a 3-2 pitch around his ankles. Plate umpire Ed Montague called him out after Buck applied the tag.

"We might have caught a little break there with Giambi," Buck said. "But we were due for one of those."

Giambi argued the call but afterward said he did not pursue the issue further because of his high regard for Montague.

"I really respect Ed Montague," Giambi said. "It's over now. It doesn't matter."

Montague also offered his version of the at-bat to a pool reporter.

"He said he didn't swing," Montague said. "I said I had the ball passing the bat and that was it.

"I had him offering at the ball. I haven't looked at it. Jason said he didn't swing at it. That was about the extent of it."

Joakim Soria finished up Kansas City's first road win since May 18 by striking out two for his 13th save in as many opportunities. He gave up a two-out single to Cabrera but retired Damon on a groundout.

Davies also traded zeroes with Darrell Rasner for four innings before his teammates scored a run apiece in the fifth and sixth.

Rookie Mike Aviles doubled and scored when David DeJesus lined a single to right. Jose Guillen scored the other run on Mark Teahen's double-play groundout.

Rasner (3-3) lost his third straight start as he allowed two runs on nine hits in a career-high eight innings.