< Luke Voit
hits a 460foot go-ahead home run in the seventh to lift the Yankees to a 7-3 win over Kansas City in Game 1 of a doubleheader.
Kansas City, Mo. — Luke Voit put on quite a power show for his big rooting section at Kauffman Stadium. With 60 family members and friends in the stands, the Missouri native hit a 470-foot, go-ahead home run in the seventh inning that sent the New York Yankees past the Kansas City Royals 7-3 Saturday in the first game of a split doubleheader.
Voit grew up near St. Louis, was drafted by the Royals out of high school, went to Missouri State and made his major league debut with the Cardinals.
“To hit the farthest home run I’ve probably ever hit in front of them is pretty surreal,” Voit said.
Voit’s two-run drive helped the Yankees win their sixth in a row.
Friday night’s game was postponed because of severe thunderstorms, forcing the split twinbill.
J.A. Happ (4-3) threw six strong innings, striking out 10. He allowed only a single hit until a familiar problem showed up in the sixth when Whit Merrifield hit a tying, three-run homer. It was the 14th homer Happ has allowed, tied for second most in the majors.
But unlike past home runs, Happ threw a good pitch, and Merrifield simply put a good swing on the ball.
“You tip your cap. He hit a ball at his shoulders,” Happ said.
But Yankees manager Aaron Boone won’t let one swing take away from Happ’s effort.
“It was a dominating effort,” he said. “He had swings and misses all day on the fastball. I thought he was just locked in from a focus standpoint, getting the ball and executing pitches all day long.”
Voit quickly restored the Yankees’ lead when he connected off Scott Barlow (1-1). Voit also singled and scored in the first inning, scoring from first base on Clint Frazier’s two-run double.