NY Yankees 7, Royals 1

(Friday, August 3rd) Final Score: New York 7, Kansas City 1 Bronx, NY (Sports Network) - Alex Rodriguez remained at 499 career homers, but knocked in one run, and Chien-Ming Wang threw into the eighth inning for his 13th victory, as New York beat Kansas City, 7-1, in the opener of a three-game series. Melky Cabrera had three hits, including a two-run ground-rule double on a strange bounce during the sixth inning, as the Yankees posted their fourth win in five games. Robinson Cano homered for the Yankees, who are 11-3 against the Royals since the start of last year. Wang (13-5) scattered seven hits and allowed one run over seven-plus innings to win his third consecutive start. The Taiwanese righty has won 10 of his last 11 decisions. "He has a good change-up and a good slider and he was getting a lot of those in the strike zone," Yankees pitching coach Ron Guidry said. "When he pitches like that hes tough to beat." The 32-year-old Rodriguez, in a bid to become the youngest player to hit 500 homers, grounded out in the first, doubled in the third, walked in the fifth, hit a sacrifice fly in the sixth, and flied out to right to end the eighth. "Im feeling pretty good up there," Rodriguez said. "Im not trying to do too much. Hitting the ball to right field and to center field is always a good indication." Ross Gload drove in the lone run for the Royals, losers in three of their last four games. Odalis Perez (6-10) yielded eight hits and four runs over five-plus frames to suffer the loss. "Theyre the Yankees, theyre a tough lineup," Perez said. "You have to face Alex Rodriguez going for his 500th career home run. Personally, I dont want to be a part of history to nobody. I dont want the homer to be against me." Ahead 3-1, the Yankees broke the game open with a three-spot in the sixth. Cano walked to start the frame, and Ryan Braun replaced Perez. Andy Phillips singled, and one out later Johnny Damon walked to load the bases. Cabrera then hit a ball off the shoe of Braun, and the ball caromed into the stands along the first-base line. The ground-rule double made it 5-1, and after Derek Jeter walked, Rodriguez got under a pitch and lofted a ball to right for a sacrifice fly. Mark Grudzielanek doubled to start the eighth, ending Wangs night on the mound, as Mike Myers entered. Later in the inning, Cano robbed Billy Butler of a hit, ranging to his right and flipping the ball to first base. Phillips dove to make a stop on a ball hit by Alex Gordon and flipped to pitcher Luis Vizcaino covering first base to end the inning. The Yankees scored their final run in the eighth as Tony Pena Jr., trying to complete a double play, threw high to first base, sending Damon home. Cano drove his 11th homer of the season to right field with two outs in the second, but the Royals tied the score at 1-1 in the third as Gloads single scored David DeJesus. The Yankees went ahead in the fourth. Shelley Duncan and Cano started the inning with singles. After both runners advanced on a bunt from Phillips, Jose Molina lifted a sacrifice fly to left field. Damon followed with an RBI ground-rule double to right-center field. Game Notes Kyle Davies, acquired from Atlanta in the deal that sent reliever Octavio Dotel to the Braves earlier this week, will start Saturday for the Royals. Phil Hughes will be activated from the 60-day disabled list to start for the Yankees. Hughes has been out since the start of May with a strained left hamstring...Yankees catcher Jorge Posada missed the game with a bruised left knee...DeJesus singled in the third and has a 12-game hitting streak...The game ended as a thunderstorm approached with lightning in the distance.