NEW YORK (AFP) — The New York Yankees beat the Kansas City Royals 3-1 and advance in the Major League Baseball playoffs as Cleveland kept its season alive with a 5-4 win over Detroit.

Juan Soto, Gleyber Torres and Giancarlo Stanton drove in runs for the Yankees and pitching ace Gerrit Cole surrendered just one run over seven sparkling innings as the Yankees clinched their best-of-five American League division series 3-1 to reach the American League Championship Series.

They will next face either the Detroit Tigers or Cleveland Guardians.

The Guardians leveled their series at two games apiece thanks to a two-run home run in the seventh inning from David Fry — whose sacrifice bunt added an insurance run in the top of the ninth that would prove to be the difference maker.

In Kansas City, Soto put New York in front in the first inning with a single that scored Torres, who opened the game with a double.

Torres’ single in the fifth put the Yankees up 2-0 and Game 3 home run hero Stanton knocked in a run with a single in the sixth.

That was all the scoring Cole and the Yankees bullpen needed.

“What a performance by GC to come out here and do his thing,” Yankees slugger Aaron Judge told broadcaster TBS of Cole, who allowed six hits with no walks and four strikeouts on 87 pitches.