Yankees' walk-off win in 11th courtesy of Jazz Chisholm. Next up: Red Sox coming to town

NEW YORK – The sight of Juan Soto hobbling in agony, then dropping to the turf, was enough to send a wave of panic through Yankees Universe.

After fouling a ball directly off his right foot, Soto’s pain was shared by 40,080 fans.

It is moments like this, even fleeting ones like Gerrit Cole two starts back grimacing and exiting the mound – but it was just a calf cramp - that can raise the anxiety level to 11 at Yankee Stadium.

Soto, Cole and Aaron Judge, the Yankees’ irreplaceable trinity, are the keys to any long October run.

During that same, worrisome at-bat in Wednesday night’s sixth inning, Soto turned everything around – shaking off the pain and delivering a go-ahead, two-run homer.

Once Soto resumed his at-bat, the look in his eye foretold that “he was about to do something special,’’ said Jazz Chisholm Jr., who delivered the game-winning run.

It took 11 innings, but the Yankees outlasted the Kansas City Royals, 4-3, and expanded their AL East lead to 1.5 games over the Baltimore Orioles.

Now, the third place Boston Red Sox – who just took two-of-three games from Baltimore at Fenway Park – arrive here Thursday for a four-game set.

After an injury scare, Juan Soto comes through

Soto's go-ahead shot off lefty starter Cole Ragans' 2-2 curveball was his 39th of the year, and No. 199 of his career - the eighth most by an MLB player before his 26th birthday.

And those were RBI Nos. 99 and 100 for Soto, the third time he's reached 100 RBI, and with three different teams - including the 2019 world champion Washington Nationals and last year's San Diego Padres.

“Tried to just focus, take my time and try to make contact,’’ said Soto of blocking out the pain and driving Ragans’ delivery well over the right-center field wall.

It was the only mistake made by Ragans in an otherwise solid six innings, and it took some of the sting away from Soto.

“I know there wasn’t anything broke right when I hit it,’’ Soto said of that foul to his foot. “But it was really painful.’’

Soto tried to put weight on his foot but couldn’t, forcing him to stay on the ground for an uncomfortable few moments before standing and resuming his at-bat before a cheering crowd.

“You really get mad, not mad at the pitcher, mad at myself,’’ Soto said of the self-inflicted pain.

One of Soto’s calling cards is his ability to play daily, through some aches and pains; he dealt with a right hand/wrist issue earlier this season that has flared occasionally.

But that track record for posting is another big chip on his side as he reaches free agency in two months, with an enormous payday ahead and a Bronx fan base that expects him in right field for years to come.

Clay Holmes falters, Yankees come back to win

The crowd grew restless in the seventh, as Clay Holmes – still in an unspecified timeout from the closer’s role – gave up the tying run.

The Royals made hard contact against Holmes, who yielded a sacrifice fly to Salvador Perez.

Both clubs scored a run in the 10 ^th before Luke Weaver (1.2 IP, 0 ER, 3 K) kept Kansas City scoreless in the 11 ^th .

After Soto pushed the automatic runner to third base on a groundout, for the first out in the home 11 ^th , Aaron Judge was intentionally walked to send up Chisholm.

Against lefty reliever Kris Bubic, the lefty-hitting Chisholm grounded sharply to the right of shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., who made a diving stop but his desperate throw home sailed wide.

That scored pinch-runner Jon Berti from third base with the winning run, kicking off a raucous celebration on the infield.

Making his second start back from the injured list (back strain), Luis Gil lasted five innings and gave up one run – a Michael Massey homer – but the Royals ran his pitch count to 97.

Gil remains a candidate for bullpen work down the stretch and into October; the Yanks expect to move back to a five-man rotation next week.

They’ll likely need just four starters in postseason, and Nestor Cortes has already made a successful bullpen cameo, last weekend at Chicago.

But those rotation discussions are still ongoing.

After taking two of three games from the wild card contending Royals (80-67), the Yanks (84-62) could possibly meet them again in October.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Yankees' walk-off win in 11th courtesy of Jazz Chisholm. Next up: Red Sox coming to town