NEW YORK (AP) — Brandon McCarthy won for the second time in six starts, and the New York Yankees feasted on Kansas City’s bullpen in a 6-2 win Saturday after Royals starter Danny Duffy left because of an injury after just one pitch.

A night after a 1-0 loss in the series opener dropped them 4½ games back for the AL’s second wild card, the weak-hitting Yankees scored as many as six runs for the first time since Aug. 29.

McCarthy (6-4) allowed two runs and six hits in 6 2-3 innings with four strikeouts and a walk. He was 3-10 with a 5.01 ERA in 18 starts before the Yankees acquired from Arizona on July 6.

Shawn Kelley, Dellin Betances and David Robertson combined for hitless relief. New York relievers have thrown 11 innings of scoreless, three-hit relief in their last four games with 14 strikeouts and no walks.

NEW YORK (AP) — James Shields pitched two-hit ball 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.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — For years, the Royals have called up players in September to get a good look at what they hoped would be their future.

This year, they’re calling up players for help in winning a pennant.

Guys such as speedster Terrance Gore, power hitter Carlos Peguero and left-hander Brandon Finnegan are giving Royals manager Ned Yost the pieces he hopes will be able to help Kansas City to an AL Central title and its first postseason appearance since 1985.

The Royals were off Thursday. They have a 1 1/2-game lead over Detroit in the AL Central as they prepare for a crucial trip through the wild card-contending Yankees and a three-game set against the Tigers.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Alex Gordon hit a two-run homer, Jason Vargas pitched into the seventh inning and the Kansas City Royals beat the Texas Rangers 4-1 on Wednesday night to finish off a three-game sweep.

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.

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

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Salvador Perez hit a scorching liner off the glove of third baseman Adrian Beltre for a single, allowing Jarrod Dyson to score the go-ahead run in the eighth inning and helping the Kansas City Royals beat the Texas Rangers 2-1 on Tuesday night.

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.

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.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Royals have recalled infielder Christian Colon, outfielder Terrance Gore and pitchers Aaron Crow and Liam Hendriks from Double-A Northwest Arkansas for their playoff push.

Colon was in the starting lineup at third base for Tuesday night’s game against Texas.

Gore gives the Royals a speedy threat on the base paths. He opened the season at Class-A Wilmington and climbed to Triple-A Omaha before spending time in Arkansas prior to his arrival.

Colon can play several infield positions, while Crow is a former All-Star reliever. Hendriks was impressive in a spot start last week, but will be used out of the bullpen down the stretch.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Salvador Perez homered and drove in three runs, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Texas Rangers 4-3 on Monday night to snap a three-game losing streak.

Perez, who had three hits, went deep in the third with Alex Gordon aboard. His two-out double in the first scored Gordon, who had singled and swiped second.

Yordano Ventura allowed three runs, two earned, and five hits in 6 1-3 innings for Kansas City. The right-hander, who was skipped on his previous turn in the rotation due to a sore back, struck out seven and walked four.

Greg Holland pitched the ninth for his 41st save in 43 chances.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Cleveland’s game at Kansas City has been suspended due to rain with the Indians leading 4-2 heading into the bottom of the 10th inning.

The game will resume on Sept. 22 in Cleveland before the start of a three-game series between the AL Central rivals.