Instant analysis: Carlos Rodon, Yankees' bats run out of steam in ...

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Andy Pettitte throws out ceremonial first pitch before Yankees playoff opener

Yankees great Andy Pettitte throws out the ceremonial first pitch before Saturday's Game 1 of the ALDS against the Royals.

NEW YORK – Carlos Rodon was ablaze, striking out the side to open Game 2 of the AL Division Series.

Making his first Yankees’ playoff start, the veteran lefty’s fortunes turned quickly after a fourth inning leadoff homer by Salvador Perez – a longtime Rodon antagonist.

That started a four-run frame by the Kansas City Royals, who knocked out Rodon and held on Monday night for a 4-2 win at Yankee Stadium.

Now, the best-of-five ALDS switches to Kansas City’s Kauffman Stadium for Games 3 and 4, with the Royals trying desperately not to return to the Bronx for a deciding Game 5.

Despite another 0-for-5 night by Bobby Witt Jr., the Royals banged out 11 hits and took a 4-1 lead into the ninth, when Jazz Chisholm Jr. led off with a homer against closer Lucas Erceg.

Jon Berti’s two-out single brought the tying run to the plate, but Gleyber Torres grounded out to end it.

Here's our analysis throughout Game 2:

Time for damage, Part II...

Down 4-1 in the eighth, Judge - (0-for-6, 4 Ks in the ALDS entering this AB) - opens with an infield single, with Wells and Stanton coming up vs. lefty Kris Bubic.

But...

Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., still seeking a base hit in this ALDS, has brought his sensational glove - turning Giancarlo's hot smash (109.9-mph) into an inning-ending DP.

Time for damage?

This could be the Yankees' best chance to get back in it, with Alex Verdugo on first (single), one out, and the top of the order up vs. lefty Kris Bubic in the seventh.

And...

Gleyber strikes out looking and Soto flies to the left field warning track, as the Royals are now six outs away from knotting this series.

Watch the Berti

Aaron Boone said Jon Berti was ready for his debut at first base, and he wasn't kidding.

With runners at the corners and lefty Tim Hill on, Berti just saved at least one run with an unassisted double play, snaring pinch-hitter MJ Melendez's hot liner and tagging the bag to end the Royals sixth.

That ball smoked by Melendez and backhanded by a sprawling Berti went off the bat at 105-mph. It's still 4-1, KC.

Start the KC bullpen carousel

There have been trust issues with the Royals' bullpen this year, though they've been better lately.

Now, manager Matt Quatraro is into his 'pen in the fifth, with lefty Angel Zerpa first up to protect a 4-1 lead.

Hard to blame him; Cole Ragans was already at 87 pitches and flirting with disaster with four walks, including that fourth inning leadoff pass to the hard to walk Anthony Volpe.

Fast hook for Carlos Rodon

Sometimes it unravels quickly for Rodon, and in a playoff game with a rested bullpen, it led to an early hook.

The lefty started out blazing, but the Salvy Perez homer was followed by a soft single by old Astros nemesis Yuli Gurriel, a wild pitch, and RBI singles by a pro hitter in Tommy Pham (with one out) and No. 9 hitter Garrett Hampson - already a Yankee thorn this series - with two out.

Rodon was charged with four runs. He threw 72 pitches. He didn't look thrilled about being lifted.

Royals go ahead, knock out Rodon

After that Salvy Perez game-tying solo homer, the Royals managed to rally for two runs - and that's all for Carlos Rodon here in the fourth.

KC concluded a four-run inning with Maikel Garcia's RBI single off reliever Ian Hamilton, and props to new first baseman Jon Berti for cutting off Juan Soto's throw and getting Garcia for the third out. It's 4-1.

Swing and a drive, and a glare

Salvy Perez strikes again, with a homer off Carlos Rodon to open the fourth inning.

Entering this game, the Hall of Fame bound Royals catcher was a .462 career hitter against Rodon, who just served up his fourth homer to Perez in 28 ABs (including tonight) to tie it, 1-1.

Perez did a little hop out of the box as the ball sailed over the left field wall and Rodon stared daggers at him as he trotted to first base.

Maybe Perez was sitting on that 2-0 slider after seeing sliders on the two previous pitches.

Yankees strike first

It's getting loud here, as Giancarlo Stanton singled past the backhanded attempt of shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., driving in Gleyber Torres for a 1-0 lead in the third.

After walking Torres to start the frame, Ragans did the hard part by fanning Soto and getting Judge on a flyball that somehow died at the right field warning track.

But Austin Wells singled and Stanton delivered.

Message to the Royals' pitching staff

If you're going to continue walking Gleyber Torres ahead of Soto and Judge, chances are you're going back to KC down 0-2.

Torres just walked again to lead off the third, his fourth walk of the series. And he's been up seven times.

Carlos Rodon: 'I'm OK!'

Got a Mike Mussina "get back to the dugout!'' to Joe Torre vibe from Carlos Rodon, waving Aaron Boone and the athletic trainer back to the bench after a Maikel Garcia comebacker might have clipped him on the wrist/arm?

Anyway, it went as a single, putting runners at first and second with one out in the Royals third, but Rodon got out of it. That included retiring Bobby Witt Jr. - now 0-for-7 in this series - on a fielder's choice grounder.

Yankees' first-inning failure, again

We've seen this before- in Game 1.

After Ragans walked Gleyber Torres and Juan Soto to start the game, Aaron Judge - in need of changing his October mojo - struck out and the Yanks failed to cash in.

In Game 1, Judge K'd with runners at second and third, none out, and the Yanks failed to score in the first. This time, Austin Wells followed by striking out and Giancarlo Stanton had a broken bat groundout.

Carlos Rodon comes out roaring

Making his first playoff start as a Yankee, a fired-up Carlos Rodon struck out the side, getting Maikel Garcia (95 mph) and Bobby Witt Jr. (98 mph) on fastballs and getting Vinnie Pasquantino to make a half-hearted swing at a slider.

Rodon came off the mound smiling and shouting. As one press box wag said next to me, "It might have been his best inning as a Yankee.''

Willie Randolph throws ceremonial first pitch

Following Andy Pettitte in Game 1, Willie Randolph got the call in Game 2, making like a second baseman and snapping a nice throw in front of the mound to Oswaldo Cabrera.

Of course, Randolph was a key figure in those epic and often nasty playoff battles with the Royals 40-plus years ago. Watching from the Royals side was the great George Brett.

Jon Berti gets the call at first base

In Monday night's Game 2, it's a slightly different lineup look for the Yankees than their best-of-five AL Division Series opener - a 6-5 win Saturday against the Royals.

Jon Berti will be making his first ever start at first base, replacing Oswaldo Cabrera who started Game 1.

Including lefty-hitting Ben Rice, the Yankees don't have a natural first baseman on their roster due to Anthony Rizzo's injury (fractured fingers, right hand), which will keep the veteran sidelined until at least the next round - if the Yanks advance.

Also, Berti has been limited to just 25 games (74 plate appearances) this year due to a severe calf strain suffered in late May.

However, “if we’re going to go long in this, he’s going to play a big role for us,’’ Boone said of the veteran, acquired via trade from the Miami Marlins just before Opening Day.

Berti "really looked the part’’ of a first baseman during the long workout week leading up to the ALDS opener, and Boone feels “good about him the way I feel about Cabrera’’ at first base.

And with Berti’s ability to steal a base, “he brings an athletic dynamic to the table at the bottom of our lineup,'' along with providing more overall balance to the lineup.

Royals’ lefty starter Cole Ragans has had some difficulty against lefty hitters, but Boone felt “comfortable’’ with the right-handed hitting Berti over the lefty-hitting rookie Rice and Cabrera.

A switch-hitter who has struggled as a right-handed hitter, Cabrera was considered as a lefty hitter by Boone, had Cabrera started against Ragans.

“Just felt this made a lot of sense,’’ said Boone, who considered Rice but ultimately didn’t want the rookie having to face the tough Ragans in his postseason debut.