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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Minus Bernie Williams, the New York
Yankees still overwhelmed the Kansas City Royals.
The powerful Yankees romped 13-4 Monday night, their fourth
straight victory over the outclassed Royals.
|  | | Jorge Posada, right, is congratulated by Derek Jeter, left, and Chuck Knoblauch after homering for the third straight game. |
"Obviously, we're a better team with Bernie here," said Derek
Jeter, whose four hits included an RBI triple in a seven-run
seventh inning. "But we're still capable of scoring runs."
Williams, a four-time All-Star, left Monday morning to be with
his ailing father in Puerto Rico. But the Yankees did not miss a
beat, rapping out 19 hits and winning for the 27th time in 33 games
against the franchise they once dueled annually for the AL pennant.
"Even without Bernie, this is a good lineup," said Jorge
Posada, who homered for the third game in a row and drove in four
runs.
"We're going to miss Bernie dearly. Hopefully, everything is
all right with him. But we've got a very good lineup. All we've got
to do is get on base."
Every Yankee starter had at least two hits except Chuck
Knoblauch, who was 0-for-4.
"Knobby will get his tomorrow," said manager Joe Torre with a
grin.
Kansas City manager Tony Muser, who has seen his team lose four
straight to the Yanks this year by the combined score of 29-9,
could see only one bright spot.
"Nobody got injured," he deadpanned.
There might have been another reason for optimism.
"We've got the Yankees just two more games and we don't play
them anymore," Muser said.
Scott Brosius had three RBI for the Yankees, who in their last
two games against Toronto and the Royals have scored 29 runs on 39
hits.
Posada, who had his first career grand slam in Sunday's 16-5
romp over Toronto, hit a three-run homer off Blake Stein in the
third inning.
Posada added an RBI single in the seventh, and finished with
three hits and three runs scored.
One pitch after Jeter's triple, Paul O'Neill's two-run homer off Kris Wilson made it 13-2 in the seventh.
In seven games this year, Posada has four home runs and 14 RBI.
He has eight RBI against the Royals, with four coming on Opening
Day.
"I feel relaxed, and that's what we need," he said. "I feel
balanced, I feel relaxed, I feel comfortable. A lot of things are
happening when I'm at the plate."
The Yankees, who set an AL record last year by homering in their
first 10 games, have homered in their first seven this season.
"The power comes when there are men on base and the pitcher has
no other choice but to throw strikes," Torre said. "We've been
making the pitcher pitch to the hitters."
Andy Pettitte (2-0), who beat the Royals and Stein last week,
pitched 8 1/3 innings. He gave up 10 hits, including Mark Quinn's
home run in the ninth. For the second straight game, he did not
issue a single walk.
Stein (0-2), who lasted just 1 2/3 innings in an 8-2 loss in New
York last Wednesday, gave up five hits and three runs in five
innings.
Posada's two-out homer made it 3-2 in the third. Michael
Coleman, who replaced Williams in center field, made it 4-2 in the
sixth with a run-scoring single.
Brosius, who has hit safely in every game this season, then made
it 6-2 with a two-run single.
Tino Martinez and Alfonso Soriano also had RBI in the seventh.
The Royals took a 2-0 lead in the first on RBI hits by Jermaine
Dye and Joe Randa and Mark Quinn homered in the ninth.
Game notes
After seven games last year, Posada had no home runs and
only one RBI. ... The Yankees put RHP Christian Parker on the DL
with a stiff shoulder and recalled Randy Keisler from Triple-A
Columbus. ... Quinn has a six-game hitting streak.
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Bernie Williams leaves Yanks to be with ailing father
RECAPS
Toronto 8
Tampa Bay 1
Chi. White Sox 9
Cleveland 2
NY Yankees 13
Kansas City 4
Minnesota 11
Detroit 5
NY Mets 9
Atlanta 4
Cincinnati 8
Pittsburgh 2
St. Louis 3
Colorado 2
Montreal 7
Chicago Cubs 5
Philadelphia 5
Florida 4
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