Gerrit Cole fans 10 as the Yankees blank KC 7-0 for their 14th straight win over the Royals

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Gerrit Cole struck out 10 while pitching into the seventh in a second stellar start since his return from Tommy John surgery, and the New York Yankees beat Kansas City 7-0 on Wednesday night to run their winning streak to 14 straight over the Royals.

Cole (1-0) threw 79 pitches over 6 2/3 innings, allowing four hits without a walk. The superlative performance by the 35-year-old former Cy Young Award winner came after Cole had allowed two hits over six scoreless innings against Tampa Bay in his first major league start since Game 5 of the 2024 World Series against the Dodgers.

Ben Rice had three RBIs, Ryan McMahon hit a two-run homer and Paul Goldschmidt and Aaron Judge also drove in runs, sending the Yankees to their second sweep of the Royals this season. New York has won 22 of its last 23 series against them overall.

Noah Cameron (2-4) pitched into the sixth inning for Kansas City, allowing two runs on four hits and a walk.

The Yankees were coming off a memorable 15-1 win Tuesday night in which they belted six homers and had 24 hits — and, in a first for one of the game's historic franchises, every player in the New York starting lineup had at least two hits.

With Cole back on the mound, they only needed a fraction of that Wednesday night.

Goldschmidt got the offense going with a single in the fourth, and Rice delivered an RBI triple off the left-field wall on Cameron's very next pitch. Judge brought him home with a sacrifice fly later in the inning, staking the Yankees to a 2-0 lead.

New York added three more runs in the seventh before McMahon's homer in the eighth put the game away.

The closest the Royals came to scoring off Cole came in the third, when Michael Massey hit a one-out double. Isaac Collins struck out to bring up Maikel Garcia, who ripped a single to right. Judge fielded it cleanly and threw out Massey at the plate.

Yankees LHP Carlos Rodon (0-2, 4.15 ERA) will start against the Athletics in Sacramento, California, on Friday night.

The Royals open their three-game set in Texas on Friday night with their starter still to be determined.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Kansas City Royals second baseman Michael Massey throws to first for the double play hit into by New York Yankees' Aaron Judge after forcing Ben Rice (22) out at second during the sixth inning of baseball game Wednesday, May 27, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Kansas City Royals' Michael Massey, center, is tagged out at home by New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells as he tried to score on a single by Maikel Garcia during the third inning of baseball game Wednesday, May 27, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge watches his sacrifice fly to score a run during the fourth inning of baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Wednesday, May 27, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Noah Cameron throws during the first inning of baseball game against the New York Yankees, Wednesday, May 27, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

New York Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole throws during the first inning of baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Wednesday, May 27, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

MONTREAL (AP) — Sebastian Aho, Jordan Staal and Logan Stankoven scored in a 2:47 span late in the first period and the Carolina Hurricanes moved within a victory of the Stanley Cup Final, beating the Montreal Canadiens 4-0 on Wednesday night.

Frederik Andersen made 18 saves for his third shutout in 12 postseason games this year to help the Hurricanes take a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference Final. Game 5 is Friday night in North Carolina, with the series winner facing the Vegas Golden Knights.

“We have better,” Stankoven said. “It’s great to come out like a team like this and perform like that, but I think at this time of the year you can’t bring your ‘B’ game. You have to bring your ‘A’ game every night.”

Nikolaj Ehlers and Shayne Gostisbehere each had two assists for the Hurricanes. They are the seventh NHL team to win six or more road games to start a postseason.

“Definitely excited,” Gostisbehere said. “Have to take care of business.”

Anderson and the Hurricanes are 11-1 in the first three rounds. They put it away early in Game 4 after winning the previous two games in overtime.

The Hurricanes scored first for the fourth straight game when Aho beat Jakub Dobes with a one-timer from the right circle on a power play with 5:02 left in the first.

Staal followed with 3:53 to go, tipping in K’Andre Miller’s centering pass. Stankoven then finished off a two-on-one with Jason Blake with 2:14 remaining in the period.

“The game’s going to humble you,” Montreal coach Martin St. Louis said. “Whenever you get humbled, you stand tall.”

Andrei Svechnikov had an empty-net goal in the third.

Carolina had a 19-3 shots-on-goal advantage in the third period for a 43-18 overall edge.

“It seemed like the only guy that showed up was Doby,” Montreal defenseman Lane Hutson said. “Wasn’t good enough. Didn’t answer the bell.”

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Carolina Hurricanes' Logan Stankoven (22) reacts after scoring against the Montreal Canadiens during the first period of Game 4 of NHL Eastern Conference final Stanley Cup playoff series action in Montreal, Quebec, Wednesday, May 27, 2026. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

Carolina Hurricanes' Alexander Nikishin (21) checks Montreal Canadiens' Kaiden Guhle during the second period of Game 4 of NHL Eastern Conference final Stanley Cup playoff series game in Montreal on Wednesday, May 27, 2026. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)

Carolina Hurricanes' Jordan Staal (11) celebrates with teammate Sean Walker (26) after scoring against the Montreal Canadiens during the first period of Game 4 of NHL Eastern Conference final Stanley Cup playoff series action in Montreal, Quebec, Wednesday, May 27, 2026. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press via AP)

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes (75) reacts as he is scored on by Carolina Hurricanes' Jordan Staal (11) as Canadiens' Josh Anderson (17) defends during the first period of Game 4 of NHL Eastern Conference final Stanley Cup playoff series action in Montreal, Quebec, Wednesday, May 27, 2026. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)

Carolina Hurricanes' Logan Stankoven (22) scores on Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes (75) during the first period of Game 4 of NHL Eastern Conference final Stanley Cup playoff series action in Montreal, Quebec, Wednesday, May 27, 2026. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press via AP)