Toronto @ Kansas City preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 29, 2014 ) Toronto 7, Kansas City 10

If there were any questions about whether Salvador Perez had emerged from a month-long slumber, his performance Tuesday night eliminated any doubt. Perez looks to continue swinging the hot bat as his Kansas City Royals continue their three-game series against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays. Perez homered and drove in four runs - all in the seventh and eighth innings - as the Royals stormed back to earn a 10-7 triumph in the series opener.

The 2-for-4 outburst improved Perez to 7-for-14 over his previous three games, raising his average 47 points to .250. More importantly for the Royals, it propelled them back over the .500 mark for the season in the opener of a six-game homestand. The Royals send promising young hurler Yordano Ventura to the hill in the second game of the set; he'll be opposed by Toronto up-and-comer Drew Hutchison, who has pitched well of late.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, SNET (Toronto), FSN Kansas City

PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH Drew Hutchison (1-1, 3.46 ERA) vs. Royals RH Yordano Ventura (2-1, 1.80)

Hutchison has bounced back nicely from his only subpar start of 2013, allowing two or fewer runs in each of his previous three outings but settling for no-decisions each time. He was spectacular six days ago against the visiting Baltimore Orioles, limiting them to a pair of runs on six hits while fanning nine over six innings. The 23-year-old has made one career start against the Royals, surrendering five runs on eight hits - including two homers - in 5 1/3 frames.

Ventura has been mostly dominant in his rookie campaign, living up to the preseason hype with a lively fastball and solid secondary pitches. The 22-year-old native of Samana, Dominican Republic had his best start of the season last time out, scattering seven hits while striking out eight over eight scoreless innings in a one-sided win over Baltimore. Night games agree with Ventura, who is 2-0 with a 0.43 ERA in three starts under the lights so far in 2013.

WALK-OFFS

1. Perez is 20-for-53 with two homers and 10 RBIs in 14 career games against the Blue Jays.

2. Blue Jays OF Melky Cabrera (41) has one more day to extend his club record for hits in the first month of the season.

3. Kansas City has won six of its last eight games against American League East opponents.

PREDICTION: Royals 3, Blue Jays 2