Garcia pitches Yankees past Royals

NEW YORK - Freddy Garcia pitched effectively into the seventh inning, Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter provided the offense, and the New York Yankees' bullpen made it stand up in a 3-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night.

Brett Gardner tripled and scored twice as the Yankees won for the eighth time in 10 games at home against the Royals. Kansas City has a major-league-best 15 wins at home but dropped to just 3-9 on the road this season.

Garcia (2-2) gave up six hits and a pair of walks in six-plus innings to win for only the second time in nine decisions against the Royals. He outpitched Kyle Davies (1-5), who allowed three runs in five-plus innings for Kansas City.

Former Yankees outfielder Melky Cabrera provided the Royals with their only run, a solo homer to center field in the fourth inning that briefly tied the game.

Jeter had two more hits after his four-hit, two-homer game Sunday at Texas. He drove in the Yankees' first run with a crisp single in the third inning.

A-Rod, who had been 5 for 27 with runners in scoring position, added a two-run single in the fifth. The hit followed a 9-for-55 slump for the Yankees' cleanup hitter.

Mariano Rivera pitched the ninth for his 13th save of the season and 25th straight against the Royals.

Yankees 3, Royals 1

Kansas City 000 100 000 – 1 7 0

New York 001 020 00x – 3 7 0

Kansas City AB   R   H   BI   BB   SO   Avg.   

Getz 2b 3   0   1   0   1   1   .229   

Me.Cabrera cf 4   1   1   1   0   1   .282   

Gordon lf 4   0   0   0   0   2   .300   

Butler dh 4   0   0   0   0   0   .285   

Francoeur rf 4   0   2   0   0   0   .308   

Hosmer 1b 3   0   0   0   1   2   .250   

Aviles 3b 4   0   1   0   0   0   .265   

Treanor c 2   0   2   0   1   0   .222   

A.Escobar ss 3   0   0   0   0   2   .233   

Totals 31   1   7   1   3   8   

New York AB   R   H   BI   BB   SO   Avg.   

Jeter ss 4   1   2   1   0   0   .283   

Granderson cf 4   0   0   0   0   3   .274   

Teixeira 1b 2   0   1   0   1   0   .263   

Al.Rodriguez 3b 4   0   1   2   0   1   .262   

Cano 2b 4   0   1   0   0   0   .289   

Swisher rf 4   0   1   0   0   1   .218