Toronto Blue Jays vs Kansas City Royals Match Player Stats On Jun 24, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Jun 24, 2017

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Jason Vargas worked seven strong innings and Alcides Escobar had three hits and scored two runs as the Kansas City Royals edged the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 on Saturday afternoon.

Vargas (11-3), who leads the majors in victories, gave up two runs on eight hits. He walked none and struck out two.

Troy Tulowitzki homered off former Long Beach State teammate Vargas to give the Blue Jays a 1-0 lead in the second. It was his third home run of the season and gave him seven RBIs in 24 games since coming off the disabled list.

The Royals tied it in the third when Escobar tripled to lead off the inning. Right fielder Jose Bautista and center fielder Kevin Pillar ran into each other as the ball dropped behind them.

Escobar scored on Whit Merrifield's sacrifice fly to shallow left, sliding in just ahead of Steve Pearce's throw. The Blue Jays challenged the call, but after a two-minute, 16-second delay umpire Joe West's safe call was not over turned.

Eric Hosmer homered, his ninth, to start the fourth inning and put Kansas City up a run.

Vargas had a runner on base every inning before working a 1-2-3 sixth inning. Pillar and Darwin Barney singled leading off Toronto's fifth, but Luke Maile popped up a sacrifice bunt attempt that Salvador Perez caught. Bautista rolled into a double play to end the inning.

The Blue Jays tied it in top of the seventh when Kevin Pillar homered with two out.

The Royals regained the lead in the bottom of the inning when Alex Gordon's first triple of the year scored Escobar.

Kelvin Herrera picked up his 18th save, working around a two-out single to Tulowitzki and striking out two.

The Royals moved to 37-36, their first time above .500 this year.

NOTES: LF Steve Pearce returned to the Blue Jays lineup after being sidelined the previous two days with a bruised right knee. ... Closer Roberto Osuna is dealing with anxiety and was unavailable to pitch Friday when the Blue Jays' bullpen allowed four runs with two out in the ninth in a 5-4 loss. ... Royals manager Ned Yost said LHP Danny Duffy would make three minor league rehab starts -- the first one was Saturday night with a 45-pitch three inning maximum with Triple-A Omaha. Duffy is on the disabled list with an oblique strain. ... RHP Josh Staumont, the Royals' top pitching prospect, walked six in 1 1/3 innings in the Storm Chasers' loss Friday to Memphis. ... Blue Jays LHP Francisco Liriano and Royals RHP Jason Hammel are the Sunday probables for the series finale.