KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Aaron Boone put the puzzle together just right.

Four relief pitchers combined for the final 13 outs Wednesday and kept the score tied long before Giancarlo Stanton’s go-ahead home run, giving the Yankees a 3-2 win over the Royals in Game 3 of the ALDS.

A touch of good defense didn’t hurt either.

Of the 13 outs the bullpen recorded, only one came via strikeout – a testament to both what makes the Royals such a nasty opponent and to the surprisingly effective defense the Yankees have played despite having players out of position all over the diamond were.

The Yankees had the sixth-best bullpen ERA (3.62) during the regular season despite a cycle of moving parts, but a case could be made that the group has never been as strong as it is today.

Neither of the two relievers acquired at the trade deadline are on the ALDS roster as others have gotten healthy.

Luke Weaver, who has become almost automatic since taking over the role in September, retired the last five batters and built an anticlimactic ninth inning.

The Royals’ last attempt to cause disruption: pinch hitter Tommy Pham grounded out on the first pitch of the final at bat.

Weaver has saved both Yankees wins – two one-run games – in this series, and with two days off in between, he should be fresh if there’s a chance to close out the series Thursday.

Demoted closer Clay Holmes – who was used in a key role to clean up mid-inning messes in the playoffs à la David Robertson of years gone by – got perhaps the biggest out when he left runners on the corners after the Royals two had scored in the fifth inning.

He induced a breakaway to center from Vinnie Pasquantino on his second straight 97 mph sinker.

Holmes stayed in to run a 1-2-3 sixth inning with the score still tied at 2-2.

Tommy Kahnle (1-0) was just as good, retiring all four batters he faced.

He was trusted to meet (and strike out) Michael Massey atop the lineup to start the eighth, but Boone wanted his best reliever to face the Royals’ best hitter.

Weaver was greeted with a single off Bobby Witt Jr.’s left side.

That’s where the defensive standout came into the equation.

Short stop Anthony Volpe made a diving catch behind second base, robbing Pasquantino of a hit that likely would have put runners on first and third base with one out.

Runners reached the corners anyway with two outs, but Weaver retired Yuli Gurriel on a fly ball to center field.