Kansas City @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( May 30, 2014 ) Kansas City 6, Toronto 1

The Kansas City Royals’ slumbering offense has awakened the last two days, recording 14 runs and 23 hits combined in a pair of victories against the streaking Toronto Blue Jays. The Royals, who are second-to-last in the American League in runs, look to stay hot when they visit Toronto for the third of a four-game series Saturday afternoon. Aaron Brooks will take the spot of injured Yordano Ventura (elbow) in the rotation and face Blue Jays highly regarded rookie right-hander Marcus Stroman.

Lorenzo Cain knocked in four runs in the 6-1 victory Friday and is 12-for-25 with six RBIs over his last six games for the Royals. Toronto’s red-hot Edwin Encarnacion was 0-for-2 with three walks in the second game of the series and remains one homer behind Barry Bonds (2001) for the major-league record in May with 16. Jose Bautista and Encarnacion each have two blasts in the last two days to push Toronto’s major league-leading total to 80.

TV: 1:07 p.m. ET, FSN Kansas City, SNET (Toronto)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Aaron Brooks (0-0, 27.00 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Marcus Stroman (1-0, 12.79)

Brooks will be recalled from Triple-A Omaha, where he is 4-1 with a 3.12 ERA in eight games (seven starts). The 6-4 California native made one appearance for the Royals in his career, allowing six runs and seven hits against Detroit on May 3 in two innings of relief. The 24-year-old was a ninth-round pick of the Royals in 2011 and was 9-10 combined while pitching in Single A and Double-A last season.

Stroman was recalled to make his first major-league start while Drew Hutchison will be pushed back. The 23-year-old Duke product yielded one run over 3 1/3 innings in his first three relief outings with the Blue Jays earlier this season before giving up nine runs in the last two. The 2012 first-round pick is 2-4 in seven starts for Triple-A Buffalo with a 3.03 ERA and 45 strikeouts over 35 2/3 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Kansas City LF Alex Gordon has hit safely in eight consecutive games, raising his average from .266 to .281.

2. Toronto SS Jose Reyes recorded a triple Friday and has reached base in 25 of 27 games since May 2.

3. Royals DH Billy Butler is 5-for-10 in the series and had another hit taken away Thursday when Bautista threw him out at first base from right field.

PREDICTION: Blue Jays 7, Royals 3