Hughes, Cano Help Yanks Beat Royals

It wasn't the prettiest win they've ever had, but the Yankees and Joe Girardi will take it.

After Kansas City took a 2-0 lead in the fourth, Robinson Cano got New York on the board with a solo-blast bottom half pf the inning. Then, in the fifth, the pinstripes scratched two runs across on Derek Jeter's bases loaded single, and an RBI ground out from Curtis Granderson as the Yankees held on 3-2 on Tuesday night in the Bronx.

The Yanks finished 2-7 with RISP on Tuesday, but still far better than Monday's 0-13 performance in a shut out loss.

Phil Hughes upped his record to 4-5 as he beat the Royals for the second time this month with six innings of two-run ball while striking out seven.

KC's runs came on an RBI-hit from catcher Humberto Quintero and a solo-homer from Jeff Francoeur, his second in as many nights.

Rafeal Soriano earned his third save with a 1-2-3 ninth innings to help New York move to 22-21, and officially out of the a tie with the Red Sox for the worst record in the AL East (Boston lost 4-1 to the first place O's on Tuesday).

Andy Pettitte will look for his second win the series finale on Wendnesday night at 7:05, matching up with the Royals' Luis Mendoza (2-2).