Yusei Kikuchi and four relievers limited the Kansas City Royals to one run on four hits, and the Toronto Blue Jays snapped a three-game losing streak with a 4-1 victory in Whit Merrifield’s return to Kauffman Stadium on Tuesday night.
Kikuchi (1-0) allowed one run on three hits and retired the side in order three times over his five innings. He was also helped by his defence, with left fielder Daulton Varsho throwing out Matt Duffy at the plate in the second inning.
Jordan Romano pitched a perfect ninth for his second save.
Kris Bubic (0-1) worked around trouble most of the night, only retiring the Blue Jays in order in the fifth, his last inning. He allowed two runs on seven hits and one walk. He was relieved by Carlos Hernandez, who yielded a home run to Varsho – his first as a member of the Blue Jays – on his first pitch.
Daulton does it ALL!<br><br>There’s <a href=”https://twitter.com/DaultonVarsho25?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@DaultonVarsho25</a>’s first as a Blue Jay ???? <a href=”https://t.co/sEkd0a6U73″>pic.twitter.com/sEkd0a6U73</a>
—@BlueJays
Franmil Reyes got the Royals on the board in the second with his first hit in a Kansas City uniform, a 455-blast over the fountains in left centre. Reyes had been 0-for-6 in his first two games with the Royals.
The Jays tied it in the top of the third. Bo Bichette, Vlad Guerrero Jr. and Chapman stroked consecutive singles, with Chapman driving in Bichette. Toronto added another run in the fourth. Merrifield led off with a double down the left-field line, went to third on a fly ball and scored on a wild pitch.
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