KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Royals were playing postseason baseball at Kauffman for the first time in almost nine years. The last playoff game at Kauffman was game two of the 2015 World Series, in which the Royals beat the other New York team, the Mets, 7-1 on October 28. The Royals would go on to finish the Mets in five games at Citi Field in New York. Royals owner John Sherman speaks on KC’s success ahead of ALDS Game 3 Wednesday, October 9, Seth Lugo stepped onto the mound for the second time this postseason. In his other postseason start this year, Lugo pitched 4+ innings, allowing one run on five hits and a walk. He struck out six Orioles batters in the game as well. Clark Schmidt pitched for the Yankees. He hadn't pitched in the postseason yet this year, and he's still somewhat fresh off a lengthy IL stint. In the regular season, Schmidt posted a record of 5-5, with a 2.85 ERA, 93 strikeouts and 1.18 WHIP in just over 85 innings pitched for the Yankees. As it appears to most fans, KC had the advantage on the mound, but it wasn't enough to lift KC to a 2-1 series lead. Here's what happened in Game 3 of the 2024 ALDS: First Inning The first batter Lugo saw was Gleyber Torres, who grounded out to Bobby Witt Jr. Lugo got the second out on a deep centerfield fly-out from Juan Soto, which was hit over 400 feet. Aaron Judge then stepped in the box, going down 0-2 on the first two pitches. He ended up lining out to Bobby Witt Jr. on a great defensive play. Royals go one-two-three to turn the first inning over. Bobby Witt Jr. got the hops to close out a scoreless 1st inning #ALDS pic.twitter.com/uMicC6dbev— MLB (@MLB) October 9, 2024 The Royals will send Michael Massey to the box as the first hitter. Massey hit a grounder to Oswaldo Cabrera for the first out. Bobby Witt Jr. then stepped in with Vinnie Pasquantino on deck. Eric Hosmer claimed Witt would go deep on his first at-bat, and he was almost right, as Witt hit a deep drive to RF Juan Soto for the second out. Pasquantino swung at the first pitch for a ground out. Inning over, Royals and Yankees tied 0-0. Second Inning C Austin Wells was the first batter of the second inning for New York, striking out for out number one. Former MVP Giancarlo Stanton was next up, grounding out to SS Bobby Witt Jr. Jazz Chisholm Jr. bats next, being booed his whole way to the plate. Chisholm grounded out to 2B Michael Massey for the final out. The Royals send veteran C Salvador Perez to the plate as their first batter of the inning, going down 0-2 to start the at-bat before striking out on three pitches from Schmidt. Yuli Gurrield followed the strikeout with a well-hit left-field drive for a one-out double. LF MJ Melendez was up next. On a full count, Melendez struck out for the second out. 3B Maikel Garcia, who went 4-5 in Game 2, stepped in next for the Royals. He hit a grounder to 1B Cabrera, Schmidt covers first for the last out of the inning. Inning over, game still tied 0-0. Third Inning Lugo stepped back on the mound to start the third inning. He'll see SS Anthony Volpe first, with Cabrera up next. Volpe hit a hard grounder to SS Bobby Witt Jr., which pulled Gurriel off first, but he made it back down to the bag for the first out. The Yankees did not challenge the play. Lugo walked Cabrera, his first of the game. LF Alex Verdugo was next up for New York, filling the count before popping out to CF Kyle Isbel. Two outs, Cabrera still at first. The Yankees lineup flipped over, putting 2B Gleyber Torres in the box, drawing yet another full count and driving up Lugo's pitch count. Torres hit a close blooper on the right-field line. The ball was ruled foul, but the Yankees challenged the play, if a ball hits the line, it's a fair ball. The call stood, foul ball. The inning turns over on a RF fly-out to Adam Frazier, who'll also be stepping in first for Kansas City in the third. Frazier struck out swinging, which sent Kyle Isbel to the plate, who was hit by a pitch. The lineup flipped over, and Massey grounded to second base for a double play, ending the inning. Inning over, Royals-Yankees still tied at zero. Fourth Inning RF Juan Soto was first up to bat for New York in the fourth, walking on a close pitch high and outside from Lugo. No outs, Soto on first with Judge to the plate. Judge almost homered, but flew out to LF Melendez. Soto stays at first. Austin Wells then stepped in with one out and one on, but struck out looking on a high fastball. Giancarlo Stanton stepped in, hitting a screaming double at 114 mph off the bat that scored Juan Soto from first. Yankees strike first, going up 1-0. Jazz Chisholm Jr. was next up following the run. He grounded out to Gurriel at first, and Lugo got out of the inning after allowing a run. Bobby Witt Jr. was first up for the Royals in the fourth, going down 0-2 in the count early. Witt Jr. hit a high foul ball that could've been caught at other stadiums but dropped in between Soto and Cabrera. It didn't matter, however, as Witt Jr. chased an outside sweeper for the third strike and first out for the Yankees. Vinnie Pasquantino stepped in, getting up in the count 3-0 before walking on the fifth pitch. One out, one on for Salvador Perez, who flew out to right-center field to Aaron Judge. Pasquantino stayed at first. 1B Yuli Gurriel stepped in after Perez, hitting a similar fly to right-center, this time caught by Soto. Inning over, Yankees up 1-0. Fifth Inning Anthony Volpe stepped in first for the Yankees in the fifth. He hit a leadoff single up the middle after some missed pitches from Lugo. Cabrera was up next for New York, facing off with Lugo who threw three straight balls, Perez and the infield came to the mound before the next pitch, which walked Cabrera. No outs, Volpe to second, Cabrera at first with LF Verdugo up to bat. Verdugo advanced the two runners on a bunt down the right field line, Gurriel threw to 2B Massey who was covering first base for the first out of the inning. Torres then came up to bat for New York with Juan Soto on deck. Lugo continued to struggle, walking Torres. Bases loaded with one of the best hitters in the MLB stepping in with one out. Lugo was on the verge of walking in a run, with Soto up in the count 3-1 when hit a sacrifice fly to CF Isbel, scoring Cabrera. Yankees went up 2-0 as pitching coach Brian Sweeney headed to the mound. Lugo remained in the game after the mound visit at 84 pitches while Aaron Judge stepped in. Lugo got out of another tough spot, as Judge flew out, but still gave up a run. It will likely be Lugo's last inning, Angel Zerpa and John Schreiber are warming up in the bullpen. The Royals will send MJ Melendez to the plate as their first batter of the fifth. He lined out to CF Aaron Judge. One out, no one on with Maikel Garcia stepping in, who hit a grounder right back up the middle for the second out at first. Adam Frazier came up next, hitting a single to SS Anthony Volpe, who overthrew the ball to first. Frazier at first while Isbel stepped in. With Schmidt nearing 70 pitches, New York started warming up right-handed reliever Clay Holmes. Isbel then hit a perfectly placed RBI double in the corner of left field. Frazier was already running, trying to steal, and made it home to cut the lead down to one run. Michael Massey stepped in with Isbel at second and Witt Jr. on deck. Massey hit a great ball to RF for a triple, and Frazier scored to even the game. Soto attempted a diving catch, but missed, allowing the run and sending Schmidt to the dugout. Clay Holmes will step on the mound with Bobby Witt Jr. looking for his first hit of the series. Clarke Schmidt pitched 4+ innings, allowing two runs on four hits with four strikeouts and a walk. Michael Massey! The @Royals have tied the game! #ALDS pic.twitter.com/TdBn4G1UaM— MLB (@MLB) October 10, 2024 Witt Jr. got up in the count after missing on the first pitch, before he walked. Two outs with Massey at third and Witt Jr. at first for Vinnie Pasquantino. Pasquantio flew out to CF Aaron Judge to end the fifth inning. Inning over, Royals-Yankees tied at two apiece. Sixth Inning Lugo did not return to the mound for the sixth inning. He pitched five innings, allowing two runs on two hits with two strikeouts and four walks. Schreiber is still warming up, with lefty Sam Long joining him in the Royals bullpen. Angel Zerpa stepped up, retiring his first batter, C Austin Wells on one pitch, before Stanton hit another base hit to CF Kyle Isbel. Stanton on first with Chisholm Jr. in the box. Zerpa got Chisholm out looking for the second out. Right-handed Schreiber came in for the lefty Zerpa. Schreiber would see SS Volpe first with two outs and Stanton still on first. Somehow, Giancarlo Stanton stole second, his first stolen base in four years. The Yankees got another baserunner on, as the Royals' control issues continued and Schreiber walked Volpe on a 3-2 breaking ball. Cabrera then stepped in for New York with Verdugo on deck. Schreiber got out of the inning on a fly ball to CF Kyle Isbel. The inning flipped over, and Perez would step in first for the Royals in the sixth. Clay Holmes remained in the game for New York, getting Perez to ground out for out number one. 1B Yuli Gurriel then stepped in for Kansas City, he grounded out on a strong throw from Jazz Chisholm Jr. at third base. MJ Melendez was the third out of Holmes' one-two-three inning on a fly ball to CF Aaron Judge. Inning over, the game still tied at 2-2. Seventh Inning LHP Sam Long took over the mound to start the seventh inning for the Royals. He'd see LF Alex Verdugo first, who grounded out at first base. Gleyber Torres was next up, he also grounded out on a throw from 3B Garcia. Long got Soto next, walking him. Sam Long wouldn't get to face Judge, instead righty Brady Singer would come to the mound. Judge, still looking for his first career postseason home run, struck out on a controversial checked swing. The inning then flipped over, with another pitching change for the Yankees. RHP Tommy Kahnle replaced Clay Holmes for New York, his first batter was Maikel Garcia. Garcia flew out to RF Juan Soto for the first out. Frazier then stepped back in the batter's box, hitting a ball straight down while Yankees' catcher Austin Wells threw him out at first. Kyle Isbel stepped in the box as the potential last batter of the seventh. He was, on a short grounder to first base. Inning over, the game still tied. Eighth Inning Lefty Kris Bubic stepped on the mound to start the eighth inning, replacing Singer. He'll see C Austin Wells first. Bubic struck him out swinging before Stanton stepped in. Stanton, expanded on his already great performance, hitting a 417-foot one-run bomb to left field to put New York back up. Chisholm Jr. stepped in next, popping out to Gurriel. Volpe was next up for the Yankees, and Bubic walked him. Cabrera then came up to bat, and in a full count, drew another walk before Verdugo grounded out to 1B Gurriel. Kahnle remained in the game for New York after his one-two-three inning. Massey was up first, striking out swinging. It was Kahnle's last pitch, he came out for right-handed closer Luke Weaver, who needed a five-out save if New York wanted to get out of the night with a win. Bobby Witt Jr. was up first, with one out and no one on. Witt Jr. finally got his first hit of the series on a ground ball single through the gap of the shortstop and second base, putting the tying run on base. Pasquantino came up next, hitting a liner to SS Volpe, who made a great diving catch for the second out. Witt remained at first. Perez came up to bat with two outs and Witt Jr. on base as a nervous Patrick Mahomes looked on from the stands. in a two-strike count, Perez sent Witt Jr. to third on a ground ball single to the outfield. Two outs with two on for Gurriel, who hit a fly ball right to CF Aaron Judge for the last out of the inning. Three outs remain for Kansas City, Yankees up 3-2. Ninth Inning Michael Lorenzen stepped on the mound for the Royals to start the ninth. Seeing Torres first, Lorenzen fielded a grounder and tagged him out for the first out of the ninth inning. Soto was the next batter, who hit an easy grounder to Michael Massey who threw to Gurriel who dropped the ball, Soto was safe at first. Aaron Judge then came up to bat with one out and one on. Lorenzen was clearly looking for the double-play ball, throwing three straight low in the zone before moving inside. On a full count, Lorenzen walked Judge. An error and the ninth walk of the game had two on and one out for KC. Austin Wells stepped in next for New York, flying out to CF Isbel. Stanton stepped in next, as the difference maker for the Yankees so far. This time, however, Gurriel made up for his error, slamming into the wall while he caught a foul pop-out. MJ Melendez, Maikel Garcia and Adam Frazier will be the next three to square off with Weaver to begin the bottom of the ninth. Melendez got out on a routine fly ball to LF Alex Verdugo. Two outs remained for KC as Garcia stepped in. The third baseman also flew out to Cabrera before Tommy Pham came into the game to hit for Adam Frazier. He hit a soft grounder to SS Volpe who threw to first for the final out. Yankees win 3-2.