NEW YORK (AP) — James Shields took a two-hitter into the ninth inning and Nori Aoki lined a run-scoring single in the third following Chase Headley’s two-base error, leading the Kansas City Royals over the New York Yankees 1-0 Friday night.

Two starts after losing to the Yankees 8-1 in one of his worst outings this season, Shields (13-7) retired his first 11 batters before Brett Gardner’s double in the fourth. Headley singled in the fifth, and Gardner flied out to the right-field warning track in the sixth.

Shields retired 11 straight before Derek Jeter singled softly with one out in the ninth. Wade Davis relieved, and pinch-runner Antoan Richardson stole second before Gardner struck out swinging on a 3-2 fastball.

Carlos Beltran took a called third strike, giving Davis his first big league save. Davis has fanned 92 batters in 62 1-3 innings this season.

A night after Mark Teixeira and Headley had ninth-inning homers for a 5-4 win over Boston, the Yankees rarely hit the ball hard against Shields, who induced 12 groundouts. He allowed three hits in 8 1-3 innings, struck out five, walked none and hit a batter with a pitch.

Kansas City (78-61), which began the night one game in front of Detroit in the AL Central, is in first place in September for the first time since 1985. The Royals have won four in a row and are 17 games over .500 for the first time since 1989, according to STATS.

New York began the night four games out for the second AL wild card and in danger of missing the playoffs in consecutive years for the first time since 1992 and ’93.

Michael Pineda (3-4), who has not allowed more than two runs in any of his 10 big league starts this year, has received 18 runs of offensive support in his last 13 outings dating to August 2013.

He was hurt by the Yankees’ defense in the third, when Alcides Escobar hit a one-out grounder to third that Headley allowed past him and into left field. Escobar hustled into second and scored an unearned run two pitches later when Aoki singled to center.

Pineda gave up three hits, all singles, in seven innings and walked none.

Dellin Betances followed and reached 100 mph while pitching to Escobar in the eighth, according to the scoreboard radar gun.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: Following a day off, manager Ned Yost said his entire bullpen was available.

Yankees: INF-OF Martin Prado, recovering from a left hamstring strain, could be back in the starting lineup Saturday.

UP NEXT

RHP Brandon McCarthy (5-4) is slated to start Saturday for the Yankees against LHP Danny Duffy (9-11).

By DAVE SKRETTA
AP Sports Writer

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The last time Jason Vargas pitched against the Texas Rangers, it seemed like every runner that reached scoring position somehow managed to cross home plate.

The exact opposite happened Wednesday night.

Vargas pitched shutout ball into the seventh inning, Alex Gordon hit a two-run homer and the Kansas City Royals held on for a 4-1 victory that finished off a three-game sweep.

“I felt I was effective,” Vargas said. “They had some opportunities and we were able to make some plays and get out of them.”

Vargas (11-7) stranded four runners in scoring position before turning over a two-on, two-out mess to Kelvin Herrera, who escaped the jam. Louis Coleman gave up a run in the eighth before Wade Davis finished off the inning, and Greg Holland worked a perfect ninth for his 42nd save.

The victory along with Detroit’s 7-0 loss to Cleveland allowed the Royals to extend their lead to 1 1/2 games over the Tigers in the AL Central. They are off Thursday before a crucial trip that takes them through the wild card-chasing Yankees and into a three-game set in Detroit.

“I guess momentum is nice,” Royals manager Ned Yost said, “but I don’t believe in that stuff too much. You know we have to go play good baseball. We have to do what we do.”

Nick Tepesch (4-9) allowed all four runs over 6 2-3 innings for Texas.

The Royals grabbed the lead off him in the fourth when Omar Infante led off with a single and Gordon homered to deep center. In the seventh, Salvador Perez and Billy Butler doubled to provide a bit of cushion, and pinch runner Terrance Gore scored on a stolen base and a throwing error.

That was more than enough to doom Texas to its fifth straight loss.

The biggest problem for the injury plagued Rangers lately has been situational hitting, and it manifested itself again in three close losses to Kansas City. They were 1 for 15 with runners in scoring position Wednesday night, making them 3 for 28 over the course of the series.

The sweep of Texas was the first at home for the Royals in seven seasons.

Tepesch, who grew up in nearby Blue Springs, Missouri, kept giving the Rangers a chance. He retired his first eight batters and then bounced back from Gordon’s homer to retire eight of nine.

Vargas proved to be just a little bit better.

The veteran left-hander, winless in his last six starts against Texas left runners on the corners in the first inning, and somehow navigated leadoff doubles in the third, fourth and sixth.

“We put ourselves in position,” Rangers manager Ron Washington said. “It wasn’t just one part of the lineup. It was up and down. It was almost everybody had an opportunity.”

By the time Vargas trudged off the mound on a humid night at Kauffman Stadium, a small but festive crowd of 15,771 had risen to its feet to give him a parting ovation.

“He pitched great,” Yost said. “He was sharp tonight. Had his good command, spotted his fastball well. His changeup was really working for him. He just pitched a good game.”

ROYALS C-RISP-Y

While the Rangers had all kinds of problems with runners in scoring position, the Royals were a bit better — 1 for 4. They only left one on base, the fewest they’ve stranded since June 21.

BIG HOME RUNS

Gordon has hit 19 homers this season, 10 of which have given the Royals the lead. “I just think Alex Gordon is a phenomenal player,” Yost said. “He’s an MVP in book.”

BELTRE IN BEAST MODE

Adrian Beltre went 1 for 4, extending his hit streak to 20 games against Kansas City. Ivan Rodriguez holds the club record with a hit in 23 straight games against the Royals.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rangers: RHP Scott Baker has been scratched from his start Thursday against Seattle with a stiff neck. Washington hopes he’ll be able to go Friday. … RHP Yu Darvish (elbow inflammation) will be examined Thursday in Texas. It remains unlikely he’ll return his season.

Royals: INF Christian Colon broke the middle finger of his right hand Tuesday night. Yost said he could still be called upon to bunt or pinch run.

UP NEXT

Rangers: LHP Robbie Ross (2-5, 5.63) will move up one day to start in Baker’s place. Ross tossed five shutout innings against Houston his last time out.

Royals: RHP James Shields (12-7) starts the Royals’ series opener in the Bronx.

By DAVE SKRETTA
AP Sports Writer

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Royals had the go-ahead run on second base with nobody out in the eighth inning. Jarrod Dyson got the sign to bunt and failed miserably on two strikes, then chopped a grounder to first base that got his teammate thrown out.

“I was real frustrated,” Dyson said later, shaking his head.

So he did something about it.

The speedster swiped second base and then third, getting into position for Salvador Perez to drive him in with a scorching liner off the glove of third baseman Adrian Beltre for a single. The run proved to be the decider in a 2-1 victory over the Texas Rangers on Tuesday night that kept Kansas City atop the AL Central by a half-game over Detroit.

“When I got to first, I knew I had to make up for it. I had to steal a couple of bags,” Dyson said. “Then Salvy did a great job. Good piece of hitting to get me in.”

Jason Frasor (4-1) left runners on the corners in the eighth against his former team, and Aaron Crow worked around a two-out single in the ninth for his third save of the season.

All-Star closer Greg Holland was unavailable after pitching three consecutive days.

“Phenomenal job,” Royals manager Ned Yost said of Crow, who had just been recalled from Double-A Northwest Arkansas. “I knew if we got to the ninth with the lead, it’d be Aaron.”

The Rangers’ Derek Holland and counterpart Jeremy Guthrie pitched to a stalemate through seven innings before the Royals broke through against Michael Kirkman (0-1) in the eighth.

The Royals’ Nori Aoki and the Rangers’ Daniel Robertson drove in the game’s other runs.

Holland looked unhindered by the knee surgery that had kept him out all season, working around a double in the first and breezing through the middle innings.

“It’s my first game back. It’s in the big leagues, a big time-atmosphere, especially with a playoff team over here,” Holland said. “I wanted to make sure I stayed calm.”

His only trouble was hardly of his own doing. Alcides Escobar doubled leading off the third, a fly ball that left fielder Ryan Rua should have caught near the wall. Two batters later, Aoki hit a fly ball to shallow left field that Rua whiffed on with an awkward slide for an RBI double.

“People make mistakes,” Rangers manager Ron Washington said.

Meanwhile, Guthrie kept dodging trouble until the fifth, when Roughned Odor tripled to start the inning. Robertson drove him in with a groundout to tie the game.

Guthrie proceeded to battle through two more innings on a night when the Royals were short on bullpen help. Top relievers Kelvin Herrera had also pitched three straight nights.

Francisley Bueno recorded one out for Kansas City. Frasor and Crow handled the rest.

RANGERS RECORDS

The Rangers have used 61 players after Holland and Kirkman made their season debuts, setting a new major league record. The club has also used a record 38 pitchers.

LACK OF RISP-ECT

The Royals were just 2 for 15 with runners in scoring position, and are batting .140 in such situations the last five games. Texas was worse, going 0 for 7 with runners on second or third.

MAKING MOVES

The Royals also recalled INF Christian Colon, OF Terrance Gore and RHP Liam Hendriks from Northwest Arkansas before the game. … The Rangers recalled RHPs Nick Tepesch and Lisalverto Bonilla and INF Luis Sardinas while promoting Kirkman from Triple-A Round Rock. Kirkman took the loss while Sardinas made the final out as a pinch-hitter.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rangers: RHP Miles Mikolas, who is not making his scheduled start Thursday, will likely miss at least one more start with shoulder fatigue, manager Ron Washington said.

Royals: DH Josh Willingham (sore back) took batting practice and was available to pinch hit.

UP NEXT

Rangers: Tepesch (4-8), who grew up in nearby Blue Springs, Missouri, will make his first start at Kauffman Stadium. He is 0-1 with a 4.26 ERA in two starts against the Royals.

Royals: LHP Jason Vargas has been feast or famine during his first season with the Royals. He has a 1.24 ERA in his 10 wins, a 6.25 ERA in his seven losses.