KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Yankees mostly embarrassed the Royals for the first three games of the series.
For the finale, the Royals earned a bit of revenge.
Clay Holmes served up a walk-off, two-run double to Maikel Garcia as the Royals escaped with a 4-3 win on Thursday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium, where the Yankees failed to sweep.
They had to settle for three out of four in the series — a series in which they outscored Kansas City, 25-8, in the first three games — while losing for just a third time in their past 15 games.
The Yankees (49-22) snapped both a four-game winning streak and a 15-game winning streak against AL Central opponents, against whom the Yankees are now 17-2 this season.
The Yankees, no-hit until the seventh inning, broke through with a three-run eighth that gave them the lead.
Anthony Rizzo homered, Anthony Volpe managed to make contact with a runner on third to score a run on a ground ball, and Juan Soto (who else?) knocked a go-ahead, RBI single into right field.
But the Royals, suddenly down one after leading since the fourth inning, answered against Holmes in the bottom of the ninth.
With one out in the ninth, Drew Waters hit a slow roller that Rizzo waited for.
By the time the first baseman grabbed it and flipped it to Holmes, Waters had dove into the base safely.
After a fielder’s choice for the second out, Kyle Isbel lined a single up the middle to put the tying run on third.
Garcia smacked a 2-0 sinker down the third-base line to score two and set off a party.
Aaron Boone & Co. consistently have praised the upstart Royals (40-30) as a quality team.
It took some time, but the Yankees finally got a good glimpse at a club that is sitting in playoff position.