Juan Soto hits inspiring HR as Yanks rally in 11th

NEW YORK — A hobbled Juan Soto rose to his feet, staggering as an instrumental track from the “Rocky” soundtrack played over the Yankee Stadium speakers. The Yankees star crushed a dramatic go-ahead home run, flipping his bat toward the home dugout, and there would be more theatrics to come.

Facing Kris Bubic, Chisholm rapped a hard grounder to shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., who made an impressive stop but threw home wide as pinch-runner Jon Berti dived in with the deciding run. In the American League East, the Yankees moved 1 1/2 games ahead of the second-place Orioles, who were walked off by the Red Sox at Fenway Park.

Soto’s sixth-inning blast was a prelude, coming after he smashed a Cole Ragans pitch into his right ankle, dropping the superstar in agony. Soto returned to home plate and, two pitches later, crushed a hanging curveball into the right-field seats for his career-high 39th home run.

Kansas City struck back in the seventh against Clay Holmes, the right-hander struggling to regain his place in the bullpen pecking order. Salvador Perez’s sacrifice fly off Holmes tied the game, and the Yankees threatened in the home half, when Jose Trevino dribbled a roller up the first-base line.

Perez initially appeared to miss Trevino with a tag as Anthony Volpe dashed home, where he was cut down by a perfect throw. Replay overturned the call on Trevino, completing an inning-ending double play.

Luis Gil started for New York, limiting the Royals to Michael Massey’s solo home run over five innings.