Yankees fall to .500

Phil Hughes could have used some of the strikes Alex Rodriguez let by on Tuesday. On an afternoon when the reigning American League Most Valuable Player went down on strikes four times for the rare golden sombrero, Hughes struggled with his command and lasted just three-plus innings. Ross Gload drove in two runs for the Royals, who opened up their season at Kauffman Stadium with a 5-2 victory over the Yankees. Hughes, making his second start of the season, saw the strike zone jump around early. Mark Teahen touched the right-hander for a run-scoring double to left-center field in the first, and Hughes walked two and hit a batter in the second, allowing a sacrifice fly to John Buck. Hughes pitched out of a bases-loaded jam -- self-created on two walks -- in the third, as he got Tony Pena to line out to center, but Hughes left trailing by a run in the fourth after allowing a hit to Joey Gathright, who stole two bases before scoring on a Mark Grudzielanek single. Gathright tied a career high with three steals on the day for Kansas City, which stole five bases overall. The 21-year-old Hughes walked four and struck out two in the 87-pitch outing, which included 44 strikes, scattering six hits. Kansas City extended its lead facing right-hander Ross Ohlendorf in the fifth on three consecutive hits, with Gload driving in a pair with a single to left. New York scored twice off Royals starter Brian Bannister in the second, as Wilson Betemit and Johnny Damon had RBI singles, but the Yankees managed little else against the right-hander, who scattered five hits over five innings, walking four and fanning six. Betemit was playing shortstop in place of Derek Jeter, who is not expected to appear in this series due to a strained left quadriceps. Rodriguez, who entered the game with two homers in two career at-bats against Bannister, struck out looking all three times he faced Bannister. Rodriguez struck out swinging against reliever Ramon Rodriguez in the seventh for his fourth punchout.