The host Kansas City Royals took advantage of early miscues by the Toronto Blue Jays en route to a 3-2 win on Wednesday evening.
Making his major league debut, left fielder Addison Barger misplayed Kyle Isbel’s second-inning fly ball into a double, then allowed Isbel to advance to third on an error. Isbel scored on Maikel Garcia’s two-out single to extend the Royals’ lead to 2-0.
After Blue Jays starter Yariel Rodriguez issued two walks in the first inning, Salvador Perez drove in Kansas City’s first run with a sharp RBI single to left.
Royals starter Alec Marsh allowed two hits and two walks over 4 1/3 scoreless innings but was forced from the game after being struck near his pitching elbow on a hard comebacker by Barger leading off the fifth.
After Marsh exited with a right forearm contusion, George Springer hit his third home run of the season to center against reliever Angel Zerpa, cutting the Blue Jays’ deficit to 2-1 in the fifth.
After back-to-back singles by Isbel and Garcia to lead off the fifth, Bobby Witt Jr. hit an RBI single, ending the night for Rodriguez (0-1), who allowed three runs on six hits with two walks, striking out two in four-plus innings. Reliever Genesis Cabrera came on to get a groundout, and after an intentional walk, got a forceout at home and a flyout to leave the bases loaded.
Ernie Clement’s RBI groundout in the sixth trimmed Kansas City’s lead to 3-2, but the Royals’ bullpen shut out the Blue Jays with just one baserunner over the final three innings.
John Schreiber (2-0) pitched a hitless seventh for the win. Chris Stratton struck out two in the eighth, setting up James McArthur to record his sixth save of the season.
McArthur allowed a single to pinch hitter Justin Turner before getting a groundout and striking out Cavan Biggio to end the game.
Springer had two of Toronto’s six hits as the Blue Jays left seven runners on base and were 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position.
–Field Level Media
