#Yankees’ Zack Britton shuts down Royals for first 2021 save

A hit batsman to start the inning. An error that prolonged the game.

Both could have led to a disastrous ninth inning for Zack Britton and the Yankees, but neither did.

Britton shook both of them off and notched his first save of the year, closing out the Yankees’ 5-2 win over the Royals to clinch a series victory.

Britton, who has now posted zeroes in four of his past five outings, rebounded after hitting Ryan O’Hearn with a two-strike sinker leading off the frame. After Rougned Odor botched what should’ve been a game-ending double play, Britton got Carlos Santana to bounce into another twin-killing, closing it out unlike Monday when he couldn’t finish off the Royals.

“I thought he threw the ball really well,” manager Aaron Boone said. “Obviously, he hits the first guy with two strikes, but after that his stuff really ticked up. It looked like his sinker was really good today, and he gets three guys [to hit the ball] on the ground.

“It’s encouraging to see him throwing the ball like that, and hopefully it’s something he can continue to build off of.”

It’s been a roller-coaster season for Britton, mirroring the up-and-down Yankees. He started the season on the injured list due to surgery to remove a bone chip in his left elbow, making his debut on June 12. But after just five appearances spanning 4 1/3 innings, he went back on the IL two weeks later with a left hamstring strain. Upon returning on July 18, Britton struggled initially, giving up runs in four of his first five appearances. Lately, he’s found his groove.

Britton capped a bullpen game that was started by Lucas Luetge and included six different relievers. After the usually solid bullpen allowed seven runs over seven innings in the first two games, it was much better on Wednesday — the Royals managed just one extra-base hit and struck out nine times — ensuring the Yankees’ series victory.

“We kind of embrace it as a bullpen,” said Chad Green, who threw two scoreless innings. “We have a lot of guys who can give us length and give you a lot of different looks. I think we don’t mind doing it.”