Yankees Phil Good

Alex Rodriguez's 500th home run made a Saturday's game a memorable one, but his teammates helped out too, with a 21-hit barrage in a 16-8 win over the Kansas City Royals. It wasn't such a good day for rookie phenom Phil Hughes, though it started out that way. But Hughes tired in the 5th and left with the game tied 6-6. But the Yankees bats would not be denied.

A 4-run lead may have been squandered, but it wouldn't matter on this day. Melky Cabrera's RBI ground out against John Bale (0-1) quickly gave the Yankees the lead back in the bottom of the 5th and then the Bombers began to break the game open in the 6th.

Bobby Abreu started it with his 11th home run off of Joel Peralta. 2 batters later, Jorge Posada walked and Robinson Cano followed with a double. Betemit, playing his very first game at 1st Base, ripped a 2-runs single off of David Riske for a 10-6 lead. Melky Cabrera doubled, this time out of the infield, in the gap in left-center to score Betemit with the inning's final run.

The Yankees poured it on in the 7th. RBI singles by Abreu and Matsui, a 2-run single by Cano, and an RBI double by Phillips in his first at-bat of the day. Mike Myers faced 2 batters, but it was enough to raise his record to 3-0.

Hughes was a handed a 4-0 lead after the 1st, on A-Rod's historic home run and Cano's RBI triple. He gave 2 runs back in the 3rd on David DeJesus' RBI single and a ribbie double by Mark Teahen. The Yankees got the runs back, but DeJesus touched up Hughes for a 2-run HR, his 6th to start the 5th. Joe Torre stayed with Hughes as long as possible, but when Billy Butler and Ross Gload delivered RBI doubles, Hughes' day was done.
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The Yankees had 6 players, Cano(4), A-Rod, Jeter, Abreu, Matsui, and Betemit with at least 3 hits each, for the first time in 65 years.

A-Rod officially became the youngest player to hit his 500th home run at 32 years, 8 days. That's 330 days faster than Jimmie Foxx.

Betemit has started 2 games as a Yankee and has driven in 3 runs in each.

Joba Chamberlain was dominant in his 2 inning appearance for Scranton last night, striking out 5 of the 7 batters he faced.

The Yankees are 10 games over .500 for the first time this season and have moved within 1.5 of the wild card leading Tigers. Detroit has lost 5 straight.

To make room for Hughes on the 40 man roster, Colter Bean was designated for assignment.

photos courtesy of AP

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