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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Michael Coleman took over for Bernie
Williams and hit just like the absent All-Star.
The rookie hit his first major league homer, triggering a
five-run rally in the ninth inning that lifted the New York Yankees
over the Kansas City Royals 9-5 Tuesday night.
|  | | Michael Coleman, left, a throw-in in New York's trade for Drew Henson, has filled in admirably for Bernie Williams the last two games. |
Coleman, subbing for Williams while the center fielder tends to
his ailing father in Puerto Rico, had three hits and drove in three
runs.
In his first game Monday night, Coleman had two hits and drove
in one run as the Yankees won 13-4.
"This is an opportunity," Coleman said. "I'm keeping it warm
for Bernie until he gets back. We've got people here to fill in."
The Yankees, who have beaten the Royals five straight times this
season, erupted against Roberto Hernandez (0-1), who was handed a
5-4 lead starting the ninth.
"It's nice to have that kind of depth," New York manager
Joe Torre said. "He can play all three outfield positions. He's
impressed me."
The Yankees have beaten the Royals 27 times in their last 34
meetings.
"Every time we play the Yankees, I get tired of complimenting
them," Royals manager Tony Muser said. "They are a very, very,
very good baseball team. I've been asked how great are they. I
wasn't alive in 1927, so it's hard for me to compare them in
history."
The Royals, whose bullpen blew 56 save chances in the past two
years, are counting on Hernandez, who was acquired from Tampa Bay,
to turn a weakness into a strength.
"I tried to get ahead of Coleman," said Hernandez, who has
blown one save and converted one with the Royals.
"You have to tip your hat to him. I threw him my best pitch and
he just happened to hit it out of the ballpark. With that team,
once they see a little crack they're going to try to break the door
down."
After Hernandez struck out Tino Martinez, the Yankees batted
around in the ninth and made Ramiro Mendoza (1-0) a winner just a
few hours after being activated from the disabled list.
Mendoza pitched a flawless eighth inning and got the victory in
his first appearance in the majors since last July. He had surgery
on his right shoulder Sept. 21.
Coleman was acquired from Cincinnati in spring training as a
throw-in in the trade for Drew Henson.
"I try to play good defense. Whatever I do offensively is a
bonus," he said.
After Coleman tied it at 5, Alfonso Soriano followed with a
single, stole second and continued to third on catcher Hector
Ortiz's throwing error.
Scott Brosius hit a go-ahead triple and scored on Chuck
Knoblauch's single for a 7-5 lead. Knoblauch eventually scored on
another error by Ortiz, and David Justice hit an RBI single for his
fourth hit.
Martinez ended the inning with another strikeout.
Jermaine Dye's three-run homer in the sixth off Mike Mussina put
the Royals ahead 5-4.
Dye, who also doubled and scored in the second, has a career
.435 average against Mussina.
Former Yankees reliever Jason Grimsley replaced starter Dan Reichert in the seventh and
struck out four in two innings. Grimsley had retired 19 consecutive
batters to start the season before Justice's two-out single in the
eighth.
Mussina, who held the Royals to five hits in 7 2/3 shutout
innings in a victory Thursday, struck out eight in the first four
innings.
Knoblauch delivered a two-run single with two outs in the third.
Mark Quinn had an RBI single for the Royals in the second.
Yankees catcher Jorge Posada, who entered the game leading the
league with 14 RBI and tied for second with four home runs, left
with stiffness in his lower back in the third.
Game notes
2B Luis Alicea started instead of Carlos Febles, who is
hitting .200 and has struck out five times in 20 at-bats. Alicea
broke an 0-for-14 slump with a sixth-inning single, his first hit
for the Royals. ... Quinn extended his hitting streak to seven
games. ... Mussina finished with nine strikeouts.
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Bernie Williams leaves Yanks to be with ailing father
RECAPS
Boston 10
Baltimore 1
Toronto 3
Tampa Bay 2
Chi. White Sox 8
Cleveland 7
NY Yankees 9
Kansas City 5
Minnesota 8
Detroit 2
Texas 7
Anaheim 5
Seattle 5
Oakland 1
San Francisco 11
San Diego 6
Chicago Cubs 4
Montreal 2
Philadelphia 7
Florida 6
Houston 3
Milwaukee 0
Arizona 2
Los Angeles 0
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