Yankees head into Red Sox series on a losing note

NEW YORK — This isn't quite how the New York Yankees wanted to head into their first home series with Boston.

They're coming off a series in which they got outplayed by the Kansas City Royals and smacked around Thursday night in the finale, an 11-5 loss that represented a couple of season low points.

Eric Hosmer and Melky Cabrera homered and Kansas City sent New York to its first home series loss of the season. It was the most runs and most hits (16) the Yankees have allowed all season. Ivan Nova had the shortest start of his career. Francisco Cervelli and Robinson Cano each made a throwing error in the Royals' big second inning.

Oh, and the Yankees have lost six of nine and fell out of first place for the first time since April 13.

So, uh, bring on the Red Sox?

"Maybe it's what we need," manager Joe Girardi said. "Maybe we need the Red Sox to come in. You know everything seems to get turned up, coverage, the intensity of the games seem to take on a new flavor."

On the plus side for New York, Cano homered and Alex Rodriguez went deep for the first time in 65 at-bats.

Still, it wasn't enough to overcome the Royals and starter Sean O'Sullivan, who was perfect through 13 batters until running into trouble.

The Yankees got back four runs in the fifth inning, on Cano's leadoff homer, Cervelli's two-run double and Derek Jeter's sacrifice fly.

O'Sullivan was lifted with two outs in the seventh after allowing Jeter's single up the middle. He gave up four runs and six hits in 6 2-3 innings, without a strikeout.

Hosmer led off the Royals' big second inning with a solo shot to right-center field. Some careless play by the Yankees set up the Royals to score five runs with two outs, making it the worst inning by New York's pitching all season.

Second baseman Cano's throwing error on a double-play ball left Wilson Betemit safe at second and Matt Treanor at first. They both took a base on a passed ball by Cervelli, setting up Mike Aviles' infield single to make it 2-0.

Cabrera followed with a double, and then took a big lead off the bag. Cervelli tried to throw behind him, but the ball skipped into center field and Aviles scored.

"I tried to throw to second," Cervelli said. "It was a bad throw. That inning was the whole game."