Despite the win, the Royals have the same record after 51 games that the New York Mets had en route to losing a major league-record 120 games in 1962.

Greinke, winless since beating Detroit last Sept. 9, was removed after the fifth inning with a 5-3 lead. The right-hander, who had averaged only one run of support in his 10 starts, gave up three hits, including Hideki Matsui’s two-run homer. He walked three and struck out two.

Mike MacDougal pitched the ninth for his third save in five opportunities.

Matsui snapped a career-worst span of 180 homerless at-bats when he hit Greinke’s pitch 416 feet over the fence in right, putting the Yankees ahead 2-0 in the second.

The Royals got a run back in the bottom of the inning on Ruben Gotay’s RBI single, then took a 3-2 lead in the third on Brown’s RBI double and Terrence Long’s fielder’s choice grounder.

The Yankees’ other hits off Greinke came in the fourth, when Bernie Williams hit the first of his two doubles and scored on Jason Giambi’s RBI single.

Gotay walked with one out in the fourth and eventually scored on a throwing error by second baseman Robinson Cano for a 4-3 lead.

Stairs doubled leading off the fifth and Long’s sacrifice fly made it 5-3.

“Just talking to some guys around the team, (Bell) was the person they had some really good things to say about,” Greinke said. “People who have played for him or just knew him somehow said he’s going to be perfect for us. I don’t know if that’s what the fans’ main guy was. But just about everybody I’ve talked to, that was the guy they wanted.”

Notes: The Yankees are beginning a 12-game road trip, their longest in two years, going to Kansas City, Minnesota, Milwaukee and St. Louis. ... The Royals purchased the contract of outfielder Shane Costa on Tuesday and designated outfielder Eli Marrero for assignment. ... Williams drew his 1,000th career walk in the second inning. ... David DeJesus made a terrific catch of Jeter’s drive to deep center leading off the game, leaping to get the ball at the top of the fence.

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