Alex Rodriguez had two hits but failed to homer as the New York Yankees routed the Kansas City Royals 7-1 on Friday night.

The Yankees scored four times in the first inning and cruised to their 13th win in their last 16 games.

Rodriguez, bidding to become the seventh player in major league history to hit 600 home runs, went 2-for-4 with a walk.

Brett Gardner got things started for New York with a leadoff double in the first inning. After a groundout by Derek Jeter, Mark Teixeira was hit by a pitch and Rodriguez walked. Robinson Cano then cleared the bases with a double to the left-center field gap. Cano then scored on a double by Jorge Posada.

A.J. Burnett (8-8) got the win in pitching five innings of four-hit shutout ball. He did not return after a lengthy rain delay.

Brian Bannister (7-9) took the loss. He allowed four runs on six hits in 4 2/3 innings.

New York made it 6-0 in the sixth on a two-run single by Gardner and Posada added a run in the seventh with an RBI single.