Royals Manager Ned Yost Doesn't Seem Concerned About Luke Hochevar's Struggles

The Kansas City Royals needed Luke Hochevar to turn the corner this season into the consistent frontline starter they hoped that he would be when they made him the first overall selection in the 2006 MLB Draft. Unfortunately things have not played out that way at all in 2012. In fact, Hochevar has been on a slide in his last couple of starts, with yesterday's loss to the New York Yankees as the latest example. Yet Royals manager Ned Yost doesn't seem concerned.

"Right now, Hoch is in a rut, and he's having trouble getting out of it," manager Ned Yost said. "He's struggling with his command. ... His stuff is good, but he gets to a point where he starts fighting his location and balls are hitting the fat part of the plate."

"Pitchers do get in slumps like hitters do, and he's definitely in one now. But it's nothing that I don't think he can't work himself out of and get to be a productive member of our starting rotation."

Hochevar allowed six runs in the third inning yesterday during a 10-4 loss at Kauffman. His previous start, Hochevar allowed 9 runs to the Detroit Tigers on May 1. While those are two of the tougher line-ups in baseball, those sorts of results are simply unacceptable and the Royals simply have no margin for such error. Hochevar says it's hard placing that pressure on his teammates at the plate.

"Obviously, this is not where I want to be - putting the team in a hole and not giving us a chance to win," Hochevar said. "It's definitely not where I want to be."

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Royals Vs. Yankees Final Score: New York Batters Luke Hochevar For 10-4 Win

Luke Hochevar struggled once again as the New York Yankees handed Kansas City a 10-4 loss in the series finale of their four-game set on Sunday.

Hochevar didn't make it out of the third inning going just 2.1 innings while allowing seven hits and seven earned runs. The Royals jumped out to an early 1-0 lead on a Billy Butler first inning double before the Yankees scored seven unanswered to knock Hochevar out of the game. The big blow came off the bat of Robinson Cano who hit a grand slam in the third inning.

The Royals cut the lead to 7-3 in the seventh with a solo home run from Humberto Qunitero but the Yankees answered back in the eighth with a two run homer from Alex Rodriguez.

Irving Falu and Jarrod Dyson finished with two hits each for the Royals. Five different players had at least two hits for the Yankees with Cano and Rodriguez combining for seven RBIs.

Phil Hughes earns the win allowing three runs in 6.2 innnings pitched to improve to 2-4. Hochevar falls to 2-3 and sees his ERA balloon to 9.00 on the season.

Read more about the Royals at Royals Review. For more on the Yankees, check out Pinstripe Alley. For more news and notes around Major League Baseball, be sure to visit our MLB hub page, Baseball Nation.

Royals Vs. Yankees Lineups: Luke Hochevar Battles Phil Hughes Sunday

The Kansas City Royals have already shown they can beat the New York Yankees, twice even. Now the Royals can look forward to hitting Phil Hughes, who hasn't had a quality start all season. Hughes has allowed seven home runs this season in 21 2/3 innings.

Luke Hochevar will take the mound for Kansas City. Royals manager Ned Yost has said about Hochevar, who has two losses this season where he gave up a total of 12 runs in the first inning alone, that the pitcher just needs to follow through.

Here is a look at Sunday's lineups for both teams:

Royals

1. Jarrod Dyson CF

2. Alex Gordon LF

3. Billy Butler DH

4. Eric Hosmer 1B

5. Mike Moustakas 3B .

6. Mitch Maier RF

7. Chris Getz, 2B

8. Irving Falu SS

9. Humberto Quintero C

Yankees

1. Derek Jeter, SS

2. Curtis Granderson, CF

3. Alex Rodriguez, 3B

4. Robinson Cano, 2B

5. Mark Teixeira, 1B

6. Nick Swisher, DH

7. Raul Ibanez, LF

8. Russell Martin, C

9) Dewayne Wise, RF

Read more about the Royals at Royals Review. For more on the Yankees, check out Pinstripe Alley. For more news and notes around Major League Baseball, be sure to visit our MLB hub page, Baseball Nation.

Royals Vs. Yankees Time, TV, Radio Info And More

Kansas City can get a much needed series win with a victory over the New York Yankees on Sunday against Kauffman Stadium. Sunday's matchup features two struggling pitchers in the Royals' Luke Hochevar and the Yankees' Phil Hughes.

Hochevar will try to bounce back after allowing nine earned runs in just four innings of work against Detroit. Hughes has struggled as well dropping to 1-4 after allowing four earned runs in 5.2 innings earlier this week against Baltimore.

Game Date/Time: Sunday, May 6, 1:10 p.m. CT

Location: Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

Pitching Matchup: Luke Hochevar (2-2, 7.36 ERA) vs. Phil Hughes (1-4, 7.48 ERA)

TV: Fox Sports Kansas City, TBS

Radio: KCSP 610

Online Streaming: MLB.tv

Read more about the Royals at Royals Review. For more on the Yankees, check out Pinstripe Alley. For more news and notes around Major League Baseball, be sure to visit our MLB hub page, Baseball Nation.

Royals Vs. Yankees Final Score: Felipe Paulino Solid In 5-1 Win

Felipe Paulino came off the disabled list and helped the Kansas City Royals to a 5-1 win over the New York Yankees. Paulino scattered four hits over six shutout innings to help lead the Royals to the win.

The Royals jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first on a Billy Butler double off of Yankees' starter Hiroki Kuroda. Butler added another RBI double in the fifth to extend the lead to 3-0. The Royals tacked on two more in the sixth before Russell Martin homered in the seventh to account for the only Yankees run.

Alex Gordon went 4 for 5 for the Royals and Billy Butler was 2 for 4 with three RBIs. Russell Martin had three hits for the Yankees while Curtis Granderson had two.

Read more about the Royals at Royals Review. For more on the Yankees, check out Pinstripe Alley. For more news and notes around Major League Baseball, be sure to visit our MLB hub page, Baseball Nation.

Royals Felipe Paulino Ready To Make Season Debut Against Yankeess

Felipe Paulino was a very pleasant surprise last season for the Kansas City Royals after the team acquired him in a deal for cash from the Colorado Rockies. Now the fireballer hopes to continue his good fortune in the American League as he returns from an early season injury to make his debut for the Royals in 2012.

Last year, Paulino finished the year with a 4-6 record with a 4.11 ERA in 20 games started. It was a half-run lower than his NL output in 2011, but a major step forward from previous MLB seasons with the Rockies and Astros. It seems as if he’s maturing and settling down as he grows at the professional level and his recent stint with AA Northwest Arkansas bodes well for his continued development.

“I’m just really happy to get back to the mound,” Paulino said. “I’m feeling really strong now, happy, and I’m ready to help the Royals. It’s the Yankees, but I’ll take it like any other team. I’ll just go up there with my game plan and do the best I can do to give a chance to the Royals to win the game.”

The Royals could use another win today against the Yanks to take the series and start their current homestand with a solid showing. The teams split the first two games.

Paulino will face Hiroki Kuroda of the Yankees in today’s third game.

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New York Yankees Vs. Kansas City Royals: Saturday Probables, Preview, TV Schedule And More

The Kansas City Royals play host to the New York Yankees in the third game of a four-game set on Saturday, as the Royals look for their second home win of the young 2012 season.

Felipe Paulino will make his first start for the Royals on Saturday night. Paulino missed the first month of the season because of a right forearm flexor pronator strain, but has rehabbed his way back. Paulino made two rehab starts in AA, totaling 10.1 innings between the two starts, giving up three runs on eight hits while walking two and striking out 13.

Kansas City's bats will face off against Kiroki Kuroda, who is 2-3 on the season. Despite being under .500, Kuroda has been one of New York's better starters this year, with a 3.69 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and .269 BAA to his record in 31.2 innings on the season to date.

First pitch between the Yankees and Royals is scheduled for 6:10 p.m. CT from Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City. Televised coverage can be found on Fox Sports Kansas City.

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Royals Vs. Yankees: New York Pulls Out The Win With Four-Run Seventh

Coming off of their first home win of the season on Thursday night, the Kansas City Royals looked to add to the total in the second game of a four-game set against the New York Yankees on Friday night. After a difficult first month of the season, the Royals carried a two-game winning streak into Friday night's game and looked to make it three straight.

Unfortunately, an explosive four-run seventh inning by the Yankees, ended those hopes as the Bronx Bombers powered their way to a 6-2 victory.

After a rocky first inning, which saw him give up a two-run home run to New York slugger Mark Teixeira, Royals starting pitcher Bruce Chen settled into the game prior to blowing up in the seventh. Despite the early hole, the Royals battled back in the first tying the score at two on the back of RBI doubles by Alex Gordon and Jeff Francoeur.

However, that was all the Kansas City offense could muster as Yankees' starter C.C. Sabathia coasted through the rest of the game finishing with five strikeouts over eight innings pitched. He is now 4-0 on the season.

The two teams will be right back at it tomorrow night.

Read more about the Royals at Royals Review. For more on the Yankees, check outPinstripe Alley. For more news and notes around Major League Baseball, be sure to visit our MLB hub page, Baseball Nation.

Royals Call Up Irving Falu For ML Debut To Replace Yuniesky Betancourt

The ankle sprain that has sidelined Royals middle infielder Yuniesky Betancourt has not gotten any better in the last couple of days, so the team finally made the move to place him on the Disabled List to allow another player to take his roster spot. That lucky candidate is long-time minor league veteran Irving Falu who has been in AAA Omaha for the last four seasons. He's now making his Major League debut at the age of 28.

"I've been impressed with Irving Falu from the minute I saw him two years ago," Yost said. "He's actually a perfect utility guy; he's a switch-hitter that can swing the bat both ways, can play just about any position on the field. So it just gives us depth at all positions."

Falu is hitting .306 after hitting .301 all of last season.

Read more about the Royals at Royals Review. For more on the Yankees, check out Pinstripe Alley. For more news and notes around Major League Baseball, be sure to visit our MLB hub page, Baseball Nation.

Mariano Rivera Injury Update: Yankees Closer Tears Knee Ligament Before Royals Game

It's a loss that's not only bad for New York Yankees fans but for all of Major League Baseball as well. The game's most storied closer in its history was already on the verge of retirement, but now his 2012 season has been lost with the news that Mariano Rivera tore a knee ligament right before the team's series against the Kansas City Royals was set to begin last night.

The injury took place as the team was practicing on the field before the Royals' return home from a recent road trip. Rivera was shagging balls when he tripped on the place where the dirt and grass meet in the outfield. He went down immediately although Rivera later said he didn't realize the extent of the injury.

"I thought it wasn't that bad, but it's torn," Rivera said after the Yankees lost 4-3, pausing several times in the Yankees clubhouse to compose himself. "Have to fix it."

When commenting on rehab and potentially coming back, Rivera had no immediate answers.

At this point, I don't know," he said. "At this point, I don't know. Going to have to face this first. It all depends on how the rehab is going to happen, and from there, we'll see."

Read more about the Royals at Royals Review. For more on the Yankees, check outPinstripe Alley. For more news and notes around Major League Baseball, be sure to visit our MLB hub page, Baseball Nation.

Royals Vs. Yankees: Game 2 Preview, TV Info And More

Kansas City found their first home win of the year in a big way - beating the mighty Yankees to start a three-game series with New York. If the Royals could pull the unthinkable and score a series win, they'd have to do it against ace CC Sabathia. In his last two starts, Sabathia gave up only six runs and struck out 16 in 16 innings of work.

Chris Getz will be starting at second base while K.C.'s Yuniesky Betancourt was placed on the 15-day disabled list with an ankle injury.

Date / Time: Friday, May 4, 7:10 p.m. CT

Location: Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

TV: Fox Sports KC

Radio: KCSP 610 AM

Probable Starters: Bruce Chen (0-3) vs. CC Sabathia (3-0)

Read more about the Royals at Royals Review. For more on the Yankees, check out Pinstripe Alley. For more news and notes around Major League Baseball, be sure to visit our MLB hub page, Baseball Nation.

Royals Vs. Yankees: KC Gets First Home Win Of Season With 4-3 Victory

It took nearly a month into the season, but the Royals finally won their first home game of the season, beating the Yankees 4-3 Thursday night at Kauffman Stadium.

Danny Duffy got the start for the Royals, giving up two earned runs over 5 1/3 innings to pick up the win. Mike Moustakas lead Kansas City at the plate, going 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a run scored. Eric Hosmer went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.

The Royals' first homestand of the season got off to a record-bad start, as Kansas City lost its first 10 games. There wasn't much wait on this homestand, as the Royals won the first of seven games against the Yankees and Red Sox.

But it wasn't easy, Kansas City held a 4-1 lead, but New York scored one run in the sixth and seventh innings. Closer Jonathan Broxton allowed the first two runners to reach in the ninth before Mark Teixeira grounded into a double-play and Derek Jeter moved to third. Alex Rodriguez grounded out to shortstop to end the game and the suffering of Kansas City fans, who hadn't seen a Royals win at Kauffman Stadium since Sept. 20, 2011.

Royals Vs. Yankees: Ned Yost Says 'We Have To Play Better. Period.'

The Kansas City Royals are finally back at home after a couple of series away from Kauffman. For most teams, a homecoming is a good thing. Unfortunately for the Royals, it's May and they have yet to win a single home game. Now they hope the New York Yankees series coming up provides the chance to make a winning statement, against one of the best teams in the American League.

For Royals manager Ned Yost, it's not anything magical that the team has to put together. Instead it's really just about playing better than the other team -- and that they've exhibited so far. That's simple enough.

"We have to play better, it doesn't matter if it's at home or on the road. Of course we want to play better in front of our fans at home. We want to give them something to cheer about and something to get excited about. But we have to play better -- period," Yost said.

"We have to get more quality innings out of our starting pitching. We keep saying it every day, but we think that's going to come. We have to get our big guys swinging the bats, and they've done that better on this road trip, so that's a plus. We've got two tough clubs coming in but you combine those two things -- better starting pitching and the batting average health and production of our [No.] 2-3-4-5 guys -- and that will take care of the problems."

The Yanks are currently 13-11. The Royals are 7-16.

Read more about the Royals at Royals Review. For more on the Yankees, check outPinstripe Alley. For more news and notes around Major League Baseball, be sure to visit our MLB hub page, Baseball Nation.

Yankees Vs. Royals: David Phelps Has Homecoming In KC In First Start For New York

Every debut is an exciting opportunity for a major league player. Everyone dreams of taking their first at-bat or first outing on the mound at the highest level — the achievement of finally moving from the backyard or local park to the place you always dreamed of being. For New York Yankees starting pitcher David Phelps, his shot comes on his home turf as the Yanks visit the Kansas City Royals to open the series at Kauffman Stadium today.

While it’s not directly his hometown, Phelps is from St. Louis, which means a number of family and friends will be at the ballpark to cheer him on.

“I’m really excited,” Phelps said. “I’m trying as much as I can to take it like it’s any other game, but it’s a big deal for me. It’s going to be awesome. I’m gonna have a lot of family there.”

Phelps played his high school ball in Hazelwood before going to Notre Dame for his college career. He made the Yanks staff out of spring training this year, but this will be his first major league start.

“It’s a lot nicer than if it were to happen in somewhere like, say, Seattle,” Phelps said. “It’s kind of difficult for some of my family to get up here to watch me throw, so it’s really nice to be so close to home. If it’s gonna be in any other ballpark other than St. Louis, it’s the closest one. It’s just good, in a sense, that I can give back to the people that sacrificed so much for me to be where I am today.”

Read more about the Royals at Royals Review. For more on the Yankees, check outPinstripe Alley. For more news and notes around Major League Baseball, be sure to visit our MLB hub page, Baseball Nation.

Eric Chavez Injury Update: Yankees 3B Might Not Be Available For Royals Series

Eric Chavez has been a pleasant surprise all around for the New York Yankees this season. Currently hitting .290, the longtime Oakland third baseman has been a positive force in the Big Apple. However, he might not be available for the series in Kansas City against the Royals after suffering a whiplash injury and a possible reported concussion.

Joey Nowak writes, "Chavez, who seemed to be overcome with dizziness during the at-bat, suffered the injury while diving for a double off the bat of J.J. Hardy in the top half of the inning. Eduardo Nunez replaced him in the lineup and at third for the rest of the game."

"He came off the field [after the play] and said he got a little dizzy, but he was all right," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "Then when he was going through his at-bat, he got dizzy. When he stepped out, I noticed it. That's why I ran out there."

The Yankees haven't made an official move on the roster regarding the condition of Chavez.

Read more about the Royals at Royals Review. For more on the Yankees, check outPinstripe Alley. For more news and notes around Major League Baseball, be sure to visit our MLB hub page, Baseball Nation.

Royals Vs. Yankees: Game Preview, TV Info And More

Kansas City starts a seven game homestand against the Yankees and Red Sox, looking break their home losing woes against some of baseball's best.