Kansas City @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 4, 2016 ) Kansas City 2, Toronto 6

The Toronto Blue Jays could not put together enough big innings on offense to overcome the Kansas City Royals in the American League Championship Series last fall but are having better luck in the regular season. The Blue Jays will try to clinch a win in the three-game series when they host the Royals for Game 2 on Tuesday.

Toronto fell in six games to Kansas City last October, totaling eight runs in the four losses, and looked to be in a similar rut offensively in the first meeting of 2016 before breaking out with five runs in the seventh inning on Monday before finishing off a 6-2 triumph. The Blue Jays are winners of three in a row and totaled 32 runs in those victories as reigning AL MVP Josh Donaldson leads the way. The Royals are struggling to pull out of their post-World Series hangover and stand 5-8 in the last 13 games. Kansas City is trying to develop some consistency and turn the momentum around as it heads toward the All-Star break, and has two games left on the road trip before finishing the first half with four at home against Seattle.

TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, FSN Kansas City, Sportsnet, TVAS (Toronto)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Chris Young (2-7, 6.24 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH R.A. Dickey (5-9, 4.21)

Young is struggling with his control of late and issued four walks in 2 1/3 innings while being ripped four seven runs against Houston on June 25. The Princeton product walked six over four innings at St. Louis on Thursday but did a better job of limiting the damage while being charged with one run in a no decision. Young has yet to win on the road this season and worked 4 2/3 innings at Toronto in the ALCS last season, allowing two runs on three hits and two walks.

Dickey gets into some trouble when the knuckleball stays up in the zone, and he has allowed nine home runs in his last four starts. The Tennessee native surrendered a pair of blasts against Cleveland on Thursday and was charged with three runs on eight hits in seven innings to absorb a loss. Dickey started opposite Young in Game 4 of the ALCS last October and lasted only 1 2/3 innings while yielding five runs on four hits – two home runs – and two walks in a loss.

WALK-OFFS

1. Blue Jays RHP Marco Estrada received cortisone shots in his lower back on Monday and plans to make his start later in this week.

2. Kansas City DH Kendrys Morales belted a solo home run on Monday and has five blasts in the last five games.

3. Toronto SS Troy Tulowitzki is 9-for-18 with two homers and six RBIs over the last four contests.

PREDICTION: Blue Jays 9, Royals 6