MLB

Overbay, Ichiro lay lumber in Girardi’s 500th Yankees win

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Yankees’ “Smoke & Mirrors Tour” hit America’s heartland last night and morphed into “Ground & Pound.’’

After struggling with the bats recently, the plucky Yankees spanked Royals hurlers on the way to an 11-6 victory that was witnessed by 24,521 at Kauffman Stadium.

It was the Yankees’ third straight win — manager Joe Girardi’s 500th with the club — and hiked their record to 21-13.

In the previous six games, the Yankees scored 14 runs, batted .203 overall and .216 with runners in scoring positions.

One look at Royals starter Wade Davis got the Yankees’ bats healthy. Their 16 hits were two shy of the season high and they went 6-for-17 in the clutch.

Ichiro Suzuki and Lyle Overbay swatted two-run homers in second inning. Overbay finished 4-for-5 with five RBIs, and Ichiro went 3-for-5 with two RBIs.

“Sometimes baseball doesn’t make sense,” Girardi said. “On a night when we needed some runs we got them. Everyone seemed to help out.”

Overbay has come a long way from being given a three-day audition at the end of spring training after being cut by the Red Sox. He became the regular first baseman when Kevin Youkilis was shelved with a back injury.

“I am enjoying it. Those three days, and I was going to be going home,” said Overbay, who entered in a 3-for-33 slump but delivered an RBI double in the fourth and a two-run double off southpaw Bruce Chen in the sixth. “I have been working with [hitting coach] Kevin Long. If you are not there, he will get you there. It’s a nice situation.’’

Five runs in the sixth put the Yankees ahead for good and made a winner out of a very pedestrian Phil Hughes.

In Hughes’ initial six starts this season, the Yankees never scored more than four runs and logged a total of 20. They made up for it last night. In 5 2/3 innings, Hughes (2-2) allowed seven hits (two homers), six runs, walked two and hit a batter.

“It wasn’t very good. Guys stepped up and gave me some runs,’’ said Hughes, who was replaced by Shawn Kelley with two outs in the sixth and the bases empty.

Kelley’s fourth straight solid outing consisted of 2 1/3 scoreless innings. He fanned the first five batters and ended with six Ks.

“I have always been a guy as the season goes on and the weather gets warm, the velocity goes up and slider gets sharper,’’ said Kelley, a spring training addition from the Mariners. “I am starting to feel like myself.’’

With David Robertson unavailable and Girardi reluctant to use Mariano Rivera (each worked the two previous games), Kelley’s gem was needed and kept the bullpen on a hot streak.

In the last five games, Yankees relievers have strung together 13 scoreless innings, allowed five hits and whiffed 13.

“[Bullpens] are so important, especially in the American League where every team tries to work counts and get the starter out,’’ Girardi said. “Shawn Kelley stepped up.’’

The bullpen is expected to get a boost when Joba Chamberlain returns from the disabled list. That could happen next week and give Girardi another power arm to choose from.

Which would make a very good bullpen even deeper.