This time it seemed like the Yankees were going to challenge themselves a little bit on a scorching-hot day at Kansas Citys Kauffman Stadium. It took them a little longer than usual to start threshing an opponent like a big Kansas farm. Theyd been no-hit for six innings by the Royals Alec Marsh, and shut out for seven. Most days and nights so far this spring, its seemed that by the time you crack open your first cold one, fully extend your recliner and properly identify what network the game is on, the Yankees are already up 2-0, runners at the corners. Its been that kind of dream ride, especially against the AL Central, 17 wins in 18 games coming in. Baseball isnt supposed to be that easy. And yet here the Yankees came. Here came Anthony Rizzo, with a home run. The Royals kicked the ball around. Anthony Volpe tied the game at 2 with a terrific at-bat, and Juan Soto did what Juan Soto does, knocking in the go-ahead run just as all 21,875 fans and all 52 players a sumed he would. Anthony Rizzo of the New York Yankees celebrates an eighth inning home run. Getty Images Of course they were going to win again, sweep the Royals, become the first team to reach 50 wins on the season, get to 18-1 against the Central. Clay Holmes got two outs in the ninth, despite a brain-lock ground ball that allowed a runner. He got to two strikes on Kyle Isbel, the ninth man in the Royals batting order. A long time ago, the T-shirt in the Yankees clubhouse said it this way: We play today, we win today. The Yankees were about to honor that old slogan, which theyve taken about as literally as it can be taken. It was right there, Holmes said. More From Mike Vaccaro And, well as a wise man once said, Thats baseball, Suzyn. Isbel fought back to 3-2, singled. Holmes fell behind Maikel Garcia 2-0, and then Garcia shot one just inside the third-base line, and suddenly it was over, Royals 4 and the Yankees 3, and there were 21,875 delighted fans inside the ballpark whod undoubtedly already marked this one down on the right side of the hyphen. I cant fall behind there, Holmes would say. I need to make a better pitch there. Yankees Aaron Judge reacts after striking out in the ninth inning. AP And look, nobody likes to lose, ever, and nobody likes Jordan Lyles Jersey to lose when youre a strike away, ever, and nobody likes to lose when theoretically it couldve been a 1-2-3 ninth inning if maybe Rizzo off the bat of Drew Waters, not let it play him. Ever. All true. All fair. Weve seen a lot of those ninth innings around here this spring, after all, although almost all of them have happened to the team in Queens, and it requires late-inning viewing of that team come with a Surgeon Generals warning. Its helped submarine the Mets season so far. Royals Drew Waters, left, is out at second base as New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe, right, steps on the bag. AP This is surely to be a blip. The Yankees took three of four from a team that had felt good about itself on Monday, 12 games over .500. They lost no ground to the Orioles, who also finally lost. Now they a few days in Boston this weekend against their old friends the Olde Towne Team. These used to be days that would be circled on the calendar in the beginning of March, especially when they played 19 games against each other every year, especially when the there was an expectation thered be seven more to follow sometime in October. Its not what it was. There are fewer games now. The Red Sox apparently grew sleepy with all the prosperity they enjoyed from 2004 to 2019. They are a .500 team. Go beyond the box score with the Bombers Sign up for Inside the Yankees by Greg Joyce, exclusively on Sports+. Thank you By clicking above you agree to the and . Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! Now, the city is going to be in a wonderful mood this weekend. Fridays game has so the locals can see if the Celtics can add an 18th banner in Dallas later that night, maybe add a 13th civic championship since the Patriots started this boffo Boston bonanza back in 2001. Even if that doesnt happen, Yanks-Sox will serve as a nice appetizer for the Cs trying to win the title at home Monday. Either way, its going to be lacking the old sizzle, which is understandable. The teams exist in different places now. The Sox are a secondary (probably a tertiary) story in Boston, and the Yankees are all weve got right now. Have to shake this off, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said, and get ready for Boston. There isnt a reason in the world to believe they wont do that. The blips along the way even aggravating ones, like Thursdays are just small parts of the grander blueprint. Kyle Isbel Jersey