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The Yankees beat the Royals, 7-3, in Game 1 of a day/night doubleheader at Kauffman Stadium. >> Box score

Four takeaways from Saturday's game...

1) J.A. Happ was electric (he retired 15 straight batters at one point) through one-out into the sixth inning, but ran into a three-hitter rut, which ended on a game-tying three-run home run off the bat of Whit Merrifield. Happ recorded 19 swinging strikes (14 with his four-seam fastball, spotted all over the zone), which is by far the best he's accomplished this season. Happ finished with a solid enough line of 6 IP, 3 R, 4 H, 0 BB and 10 K and recorded his fourth win of the season.

2) Brett Gardner tripled and scored on a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning, which gave the Yankees a 3-0 lead. Gardner added two more hits and is 12-for-22 during his six-game hit streak. Gardner also scored two runs and stole a base.

3) After the Royals tied the game in the sixth, Luke Voit destroyed a meatball 470 feet, giving the Yanks the lead back. Voit has 13 homers this season with a team-high 37 RBIs and an .897 OPS.

4) Thairo Estrada collected two more hits, including a two-run double in the eighth inning, which put the Yanks up 7-3. Estrada boosted his average to .318 and is solidifying his spot on the Yankees bench. When Didi Gregorius returns, Estrada might be sent down to the minors, but the Yanks now know who is coming up if there is another injury in the infield going forward.

Highlights

470 feet.

Luke got ALL of this one. 😱😱😱 pic.twitter.com/9SafUDmwgA
- MLB (@MLB) May 25, 2019

Yankees strike first as Clint Frazier doubles to knock in two runs.#YANKSonYES pic.twitter.com/b5968fxR1M
- YES Network (@YESNetwork) May 25, 2019

What's next

The Yankees play the second game of a split doubleheader against the Royals at 8:15 p.m. on Saturday. RHP Jorge Lopez will pitch for Kansas City while the Yankees still have to decide on a starter.

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