KANSAS CITY, Mo. _ This, finally, was the Sonny Gray the Yankees thought they were trading for.
Granted it was against the woeful Royals but since Gray has had far more downs and ups since being acquired last July, all involved were happy to take it.
The right-hander was brilliant Sunday afternoon, retiring the first 14 hitters he faced in a 10-1 annihilation of the Royals in front of 24,121 at Kauffman Stadium.
The Yankees, who also received a pair of long two-run homers by Tyler Austin _ part of a 14-hit attack that also included homers by Miguel Andujar and Austin Romine _ won for the 21st time in 25 games and improved to an MLB-best 30-13. Their three-city trip continues Monday in Arlington, Texas for the start of a three-game series against the Rangers.
Gray, 6-10 with a 4.70 ERA as a Yankee, including 2-3 with a 6.39 ERA this season coming into the game, had not lasted more than six innings in a start this season.
He went eight Sunday, shutting out the Royals (14-32) for seven before they got on the board in the eighth. Gray was so efficient, he seemed poised to throw a complete game as he entered that inning at just 74 pitches. But, tiring a bit, Gray allowed two singles and a walk in his final inning.
Gray, working ahead on just about every hitter it seemed, allowed one run, four hits and a walk. He struck out five.
Austin, likely to lose significant playing time and possibly his roster spot when Greg Bird comes off the DL _ an occurrence Aaron Boone said could happen within the week _ is determined to make that a difficult call.
The 26-year-old hit two homers Sunday, giving him eight this season, blasting a two-run shot off lefty Eric Skoglund in the third inning that made it 2-0 and another two-run shot, also off Skoglund, in the fifth that made it 6-0.
Andujar went 3-for-5, finishing a double shy of the cycle. He and Romine each homered in the ninth to make it 10-1.
