The Toronto Blue Jays, who finally broke the five-run barrier on Monday, would like to make it a trend when they oppose the visiting Kansas City Royals again on Tuesday night.
The Blue Jays won the opener of the three-game series 6-5 on Monday. It was the first time they scored more than five runs in a game since a 9-8 road loss to the New York Yankees on April 6.
Justin Turner paced Toronto with two home runs and three RBIs in the opener against the Royals. Danny Jansen hit a solo homer, and Addison Barger singled for his first career major league hit.
Kyle Isbel hit a solo homer and an RBI single for Kansas City, and Freddy Fermin added a solo shot. Kansas City’s Nelson Velazquez hit an RBI double in the first to end a 0-for-20 drought.
The Blue Jays have won two in a row and are 2-2 on a six-game homestand, while the Royals have lost three straight after taking the opener of their six-game road trip.
Blue Jays right-hander Jose Berrios (4-1, 1.23 ERA) is scheduled to start on Tuesday against Royals left-hander Cole Ragans (1-2, 3.90).
The starters faced each other on Thursday in a rain-shortened, five-inning game the Royals won 2-1 at home. Both pitchers threw all five innings.
Berrios allowed two runs — matching his season high — on three hits and three walks while striking out one. In 22 career starts against Kansas City, he is 7-6 with a 4.67 ERA.
Ragans gave up one run, three hits and three walks while striking out four on Thursday.
The only time he faced Toronto before that was a no-decision in a 5-2 Royals loss to the host Blue Jays last Sept. 10. He allowed two runs and one hit but walked a career-high six in 5 2/3 innings.
The Blue Jays dropped three of four against the Royals last week before losing two of three at home against the Los Angeles Dodgers over the weekend. However, Turner saw reason for encouragement about Toronto’s dormant offense on Monday.
“The best sign was the quality of contact and the amount of balls we kept off the ground,” he said. “We’ve been hitting a lot of hard balls but beating them into the ground and not getting any results. I think tonight was probably our best game of the year of having quality contact. That was good to see.”
Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette got a night off on Monday.
Catcher Salvador Perez (stiff back) was scratched from the Royals’ lineup but singled as a ninth-inning pinch hitter.
“His back tightened up a little bit earlier in the day, but he worked on it throughout the game and he said he was 100 percent there at the end,” manager Matt Quatraro said.
Royals starter Jonathan Bowlan was recalled from Triple-A Omaha to make his second career start on Monday. He allowed four runs in 2 2/3 innings.
Kansas City optioned rookie right-hander Will Klein to Triple-A to make room for Bowlan.
Toronto right-hander Nate Pearson earned his first save of the season and the second of his career on Monday despite allowing two singles in the ninth.
Closer Jordan Romano and setup man Yimi Garcia were not available after each pitched in the previous two games.
“They have power arms throughout,” Quatraro said of Toronto’s bullpen. “I mean, Pearson is not a bad option throwing 100 miles per hour coming in in the ninth inning.”
–Field Level Media
