New York ? Mike Mussina kept turning around to see poorly hit balls find holes in the Yankees’ defense, his body language conveying just a touch of exasperation. By the time he walked off the mound after the first inning, Kansas City had a three-run lead.

“His luck wasn’t real good in the first,” manager Joe Girardi said, “but it changed after that.”

Helps when your offense wipes out the deficit – and then some – in a hurry.

Jason Giambi hit a grand slam, Alex Rodriguez sent a three-run homer bouncing into Monument Park, and New York broke loose against Brian Bannister and the Royals in a 15-6 rout Sunday that salvaged a split of the season series.

Cody Ransom added a two-run homer, and Xavier Nady also went deep for the Yankees, who totaled six runs in the previous two games but got that many in the first inning alone. Rodriguez finished 3-for-3 with five RBIs, and Derek Jeter went 4-for-4 and scored three times.