Royals let Yankees walk away with win in AL Division Series opener

NEW YORK (AP) — Given a lead, the Kansas City Royals' pitching staff let the New York Yankees walk away with a playoff win.

Facing the team that led the major leagues in walks during the regular season, the Royals held the lead three times, only to see it erased when their pitchers struggled to find the strike zone during a 6-5 loss to the Yankees in their AL Division Series opener Saturday night.

Kansas City tied a season high by issuing eight walks for the third time. It was the first time the Royals handed out that many free passes since July 4 against Tampa Bay, though they also walked seven batters during a 10-4 loss at Yankee Stadium on Sept. 9.

“That’s really uncharacteristic for us,” Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro said. “It’s something you don’t want to try to fight back from against a team like that. So that was uncharacteristic and unfortunate because that’s not really who we are as a staff.”

Angel Zerpa and John Schreiber in particular struggled with their command, issuing bases-loaded walks to Austin Wells and Anthony Volpe in the fifth inning that allowed the Yankees to take a 5-4 lead. Zerpa also walked Aaron Judge on a slider before walking Wells on a sinker that was high and inside.

“They looked at a lot of pitches,” Zerpa said through a translator. “We were close, but not good enough pitches to make them count."

Schreiber got two quick outs but fell behind Volpe and walked the shortstop on a sinker that was outside.

“They’re a great team,” Schreiber said. “We've just got to go out there and keep trying to execute pitches and get them out, and that’s the biggest thing."

It was the first time the Yankees drew a pair of bases-loaded walks in a postseason game since Bullet Joe Bush and Joe Dugan against the New York Giants’ Rosy Ryan in Game 6 of the 1923 World Series.

Zerpa and Schreiber combined to walk three of the seven hitters they faced after starter Michael Wacha walked three in four-plus innings and was pulled following a walk to Gleyber Torres to open the fifth. Wacha threw 44 of 70 pitches for strikes and issued at least three walks for the sixth time this year.

“You try to stay on the attack and make good, quality pitches," Wacha said. “I was able to do that at times and then not at times as well.”

After Zerpa and Schreiber walked Wells and Volpe, Sam Long opened the sixth by walking No. 9 hitter Alex Verdugo, who later scored on a tying single by Wells.

“I think you've got to treat everybody the same,” Long said about pitching to the Yankees. “They’re a good lineup, no doubt about it. There’s a little bit more emphasis on making quality pitches. So just come in and execute better next time.”

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From left, Kansas City Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia (11), pitcher Michael Wacha (52) and catcher Salvador Perez (13) talk on the mound during the fourth inning of Game 1 of the American League baseball division series, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. (7) argues with home plate umpire Adam Hamari (78) after being called out on strikes during the ninth inning of Game 1 of the American League baseball division series against the New York Yankees, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Kansas City Royals pitcher Michael Wacha (52) walks off the mound after being relieved during the fifth inning of Game 1 of the American League baseball division series against the New York Yankees, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Kansas City Royals pitcher Angel Zerpa (61) delivers against the New York Yankees during the fifth inning of Game 1 of the American League baseball division series, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Kansas City Royals pitcher Michael Lorenzen (24) walks off the field during the seventh inning of Game 1 of the American League baseball division series against the New York Yankees, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Kansas City Royals pitcher Michael Wacha (52) is relieved by Kansas City Royals manager Matt Quatraro (33) during the fifth inning of Game 1 of the American League baseball division series against the New York Yankees, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in New York.

Kansas City Royals pitcher Sam Long (73) hands the ball to Kansas City Royals manager Matt Quatraro (33) as he leaves the game during the sixth inning of Game 1 of the American League baseball division series against the New York Yankees, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Kansas City Royals pitcher John Schreiber reacts after walking in a run with the bases loaded against the New York Yankees during the fifth inning of Game 1 of the American League baseball division series, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Kansas City Royals pitcher Angel Zerpa walks off the field after walking home a run against the New York Yankees during the fifth inning of Game 1 of the American League baseball division series, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks are opening lower as a strong year for the market looks set to end on a sour note. The S&P 500 was down 1.3% early Monday. With just two days left in 2024, the benchmark index still on track for its second straight yearly gain of more than 20%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 534 points, or 1.2%. The Nasdaq composite fell 1.5%. Declines in Big Tech companies like Apple and Microsoft weighed on the market. Boeing fell after one of its jets skidded off a runway in South Korea, killing 179 of the 181 people aboard.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

Wall Street retreated in light premarket trading Monday as the year draws to a close lacking the euphoria that pushed markets to record highs in 2024.

Futures for the S&P 500 slipped 0.4% before the bell, while futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.3%.

South Korea’s Kospi dropped 0.2% to 2,399.49 and shares of Jeju Air Co., a low-cost South Korean airline, lost 8.7% after one of the company’s Boeing 737-800s skidded off a runway, slammed into a concrete wall and burst into flames Sunday, killing 179 of the 181 people aboard. Authorities were investigating why the aircraft’s landing gear failed to deploy.

The disaster was yet another blow for Boeing following a machinists strike, further safety problems with its troubled top-selling aircraft and a plunging stock price. Its shares fell 3% in premarket trading and have declined more than 30% this year.

Despite some post-Christmas sluggishness, U.S. financial markets are moving closer to another standout annual finish. The S&P 500 is on track for a gain of around 25% in 2024. That would mark a second consecutive yearly gain of more than 20%, the first time that has happened since 1997-1998.

The gains have been driven partly by upbeat economic data showing that consumers continued spending and the labor market remained strong. Inflation, while still high, has also been steadily easing.

The stream of upbeat economic data and easing inflation helped prompt a reversal in the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy this year. Expectations for interest rate cuts also helped drive market gains. The central bank recently delivered its third cut to interest rates in 2024.

In Asia, Tokyo’s benchmark Nikkei 225 index ended 1% lower, at 39,894.54. The last trading session of the year ended on a somber note with the Japan Exchange Group's CEO Hiromi Yamaji apologizing during the traditional yearend ceremony over a recent insider trading case.

“I acknowledge trust towards the market is essential for investors to trade with confidence," Yamaji said. The exchange is working to improve training and verify findings of an independent investigation, he said, adding that “we are doing are our utmost best to rebuild trust and prevent this from happening again.”

In early European trading, Germany’s DAX inched back 0.1%, the CAC 40 in Paris was up 0.2% Britain’s FTSE 100 was unchanged.

The Hang Seng in Hong Kong lost 0.2% at 20,041.42 while the Shanghai Composite index gained 0.2% to 3,407.33. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 dipped 0.3% to 8,235.00.

U.S. benchmark crude oil gained 28 cents to $70.88 per barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, picked up 20 cents to $73.99 per barrel.

The dollar was trading at 157.55 yen, while the euro rose to $1.0445.

FIL:E - The New York Stock Exchange is shown in New York's Financial District on Dec. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Peter Morgan, File)

Participants perform a traditional hand clap at the end of a ceremony to conclude the year's trading at the Tokyo Stock Exchange Monday, Dec. 30, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Nikkei 225 index is seen on screen at the site of a ceremony to mark the last trading day of the year at the Tokyo Stock Exchange Monday, Dec. 30, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Visitors look at the end of a ceremony to conclude the year's trading at the Tokyo Stock Exchange Monday, Dec. 30, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Participants perform a traditional hand clap at the end of a ceremony to conclude the year's trading at the Tokyo Stock Exchange Monday, Dec. 30, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

A staff works on the last trading day of the year at the Tokyo Stock Exchange Monday, Dec. 30, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Nikkei 225 index is seen on screen as a TV camera crew films the site of a ceremony to mark the last trading day of the year at the Tokyo Stock Exchange Monday, Dec. 30, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Participants attend the end of a ceremony to conclude the year's trading at the Tokyo Stock Exchange Monday, Dec. 30, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Media wait for the ceremony to mark the last trading day of the year at the Tokyo Stock Exchange Monday, Dec. 30, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Hiromi Yamaji, CEO of Japan Exchange Group (JPX) delivers a speech at the end of a ceremony to conclude the year's trading at the Tokyo Stock Exchange Monday, Dec. 30, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

A person walks in front of an electronic stock board showing Japan's Nikkei index at a securities firm Friday, Dec. 27, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

FIL:E - People photograph the New York Stock Exchange in New York's Financial District on Dec. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Peter Morgan, File)

People walk in front of an electronic stock board showing Japan's Nikkei index at a securities firm Friday, Dec. 27, 2024, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

FILE - The New York Stock Exchange is shown behind the statue titled "Fearless Girl", Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, File)