Alex Verdugo praises the personal chef he hired for the turnaround of the AL Division Series opener

NEW YORK (AP) — Alex Verdugo was feeling a little overcooked this season, so he hired a personal chef.

Revitalized by his new diet, Verdugo hit one decisive single in the seventh inning and saved at least one run with a Sliding catch along the left field line to increase the New York Yankees defeat Kansas City Royals 6-5 on Saturday night in the AL Division Series opener.

He owed some of the credit to his diet.

“It made me feel a lot better, I have a lot more energy in everyday life and I recover a little better and am less lethargic,” he said.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, New York won its first postseason game with five lead changes behind Verdugo's bat and glove.

In his first season since the Yankees acquired him from Boston, the talkative 28-year-old outfielder hit 38 slides with the mood lamp in his locker on the 14th.

Verdugo batted .197 from then until August. New York called up rookie outfielder Jasson Domínguez on September 9, and Verdugo only started eleven games. He finished with a .233 average – his lowest in a full season – as well as 13 home runs and 61 RBIs.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone wanted to play Verdugo in left field against Kansas City, in part because of his superior defense.

“Just trusting that he’ll be ready for the moment, his experience and his track record,” Boone said. “I know the second half was a little difficult for him offensively, but the guy is a good hitter.”

With the Yankees trailing 3-2, Verdugo made a sliding catch on Michael Massey's fly just inside the line in the fourth inning, leaving two runners stranded. The ball hit the heel of Verdugo's glove and bounced off his chest before he grabbed it with his bare hand.

“Thank God it went to the left hand, so everything worked out,” he said at the post-game press conference. He wore a sweatshirt with the name of his hometown, Tucson, and a sparkling diamond on each ear.

As Boone watched from the dugout, he couldn't see Verdugo's juggling act.

“That's the best chance you can have when the left fielder cuts the ball like that on the run,” Boone said. “It’s easy to handcuff yourself and screw the whole thing up.”

Verdugo, who went 3-for-25, got into the batter's box with one out in the seventh inning of a 5-5 game.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. singled to second after a leadoff single and a stolen base, which was allowed to stand after a video review. Royals manager Matt Quatraro felt this should have resulted in the decision being overturned. Verdugo sent a cutter to left field that sent Chisholm standing up across the plate. Verdugo advanced to second with the throw and raised his arms in triumph.

“When the lights are brightest, that’s when we want to play,” he said. “We’ve finally reached the finish line, and when you see that, it’s basically a full sprint.”

He admitted that Domínguez's arrival was a big blow.

“I was a little upset, of course, but I understood what it was about,” he said. “I just started eating healthier, started doing things that kept me busy throughout the year while I had more days off than I would have liked. And I feel like it’s really helped me feel fresh now and ready to run through a wall.”

He didn't worry about the exact food.

“I eat things that I didn’t even know you could throw on a plate,” Verdugo said. “It’s way over my head.”

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