Kansas City Royals’ 6-run Deluge drowns Blue Jays

Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

Trailing 5-4 in the 8th inning on a rainy night in Kansas City, the Royals hung 6 runs on the Blue Jays to take a 10-7 victory Tuesday night.

The 1o-run outburst following Sunday’s 9-run performance, gives hope that Kansas City’s Justin Bieber offense might be growing up. Royals’ fans can only hope the bubble gum garbage that Kansas City Royals hitters have spewed the last few years is now maturing into an act worth coming to see.

It’s past time.

On the Mound

Jason Vargas finally fell to earth Tuesday night. Leading 2-1 in the top of the 5th inning, the ex-Royal Jose Reyes slammed a double followed by a Melky Cabrera‘s triple to tie the game at 2-2. Both drives went to right field, where Norichika Aoki struggled with heavy downpour of rain.  Reyes’ double bounced off Aoki’s glove, while Cabrera’s triple might have been catchable if the outfield grass had not been slick with rain.

Jason Vargas, however, followed Cabrera’s triple with a wild pitch that allowed the lead run to score. This is the third game in a row in which sloppy play from the mound has hurt the Royals on the scoreboard.

The Blue Jays knocked Vargas out of the game in the 7th, when Colby Rasmus led off with the double, Mr. True Grit Chris Getz sacrificed him to second, Reyes drove in a run with a single followed by Cabrera’s double. Vargas left the game trailing 5-2.

Even after giving up 5 earned runs in 6.1 IP, Vargas still has an excellent 2.40 ERA on the season.

Kelvin Herrera worked out of the jam despite giving up two walks.

Aaron Crow added another inning to his 8.1 IP scoreless streak. Crow still has a 0.00 ERA this season and earned the win Tuesday night after Kansas City’s 8-run finish.

Louis Coleman continued his early-season struggles by allowing a 2-run home run to Edwin Encarnacion. Coleman’s ERA ballooned to 7.71.

At the Plate

Salvador Perez was the big hitting star Tuesday night. Perez was 2-4 with a double, a home run, and 4 RBI’s. Perez’s moon shot in the 7th inning opened the floodgates against the Blue Jay bullpen and turned a comfortable 5-2 Toronto lead into 5-4 nail-biter.

The Royals smacked 7 of their 11 total hits, and 2 of their 5 walks, in their 6-run 8th inning. Perez again had the key blow, stroking a 2-run double that put the Royals up 6-5. After Moustakas struck out for the 2nd out of the inning, Alcides Escobar walked and the next three hitters followed up with consecutive, tw0-out singles—plating four more runs.

Every Royals hitter earned his way on base last night. Seven of the starting nine got base hits, while Mike Moustakas chipped in with 2 walks and Alcides Escobar added another. For once, the Royals were patient at the plate. They drew 5 walks as a team.

This and That

The Kansas City Royals continued their 4 or more run magic. They are now 13-0 when scoring more than 4 runs, and 0-12 when scoring 3 or less. The streak looked in danger after the Royals closed the gap to 5-4 in the bottom of the 7th, but Toronto’s bullpen collapse allowed the Royals to keep the string alive.

KC Kingdom Player of the Game

Salvador Perez is clearly the hero of Tuesday’s game. His 2-run home run re-energized the team after falling behind 5-2 on a cold, wet and sloppy day. His at bat was a phenomenal piece of hitting in which Perez fell behind 0-2 before staying alive with a foul, took a ball, and chipping 3 more straight fouls before getting a pitch to drive.

That one at-bat shows how much Perez has matured as a hitter this season.

Once you add in driving in the lead run in the 8th with a double and his 4 RBI’s, it was a great day for Perez.

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• Salvador Perez – 2
• Jeremy Guthrie
• Jason Vargas – 4
• Alex Gordon – 3
• Bruce Chen
• James Shields-3
• Yordano Ventura – 3
• Mike Moustakas
• Danny Duffy
• Omar Infante – 2
  
• Mike Moustakas – 2
• Alcides Escobar – 2
• Eric Hosmer
• Michael Mariot

The Blue Jays

Toronto came into Tuesday’s game with the 7th worst bullpen ERA in MLB at 4.48. After giving up 7 earned runs in the 7th and 8th, the Blue Jay relievers now have an unsightly season ERA of 5.38

The bullpen collapse meant the Blue Jays lost despite banging out 12 hits, 3 doubles, 1 triple, and 2 home runs.

Up Next

The Royals send rookie phenom Yordano Ventura (2-1, 1.80 ERA) against Toronto Blue Jay’s Drew Hutchinson (1-1, 3.46 ERA). Game time is 7:10 PM CST at Kauffman Stadium.

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 4/30/2014.

2B: M Cabrera (8, off J Vargas); J Reyes (3, off J Vargas); C Rasmus (6, off J Vargas).

3B: M Cabrera (2, off J Vargas).

HR: J Bautista (8, off J Vargas; 1st inn, 0 on, 2 outs to Deep LF Line); E Encarnacion (2, off L Coleman; 9th inn, 1 on, 1 out to Deep LF-CF).

SH: C Getz (1, off J Vargas).

TB: M Cabrera 5; J Bautista 4; E Encarnacion 4; J Reyes 3; C Rasmus 3; B Lawrie 2; D Navarro 2.

RBI: M Cabrera 2 (11); E Encarnacion 2 (14); J Reyes (5); J Bautista (18).

2-out RBI: J Bautista.

Team LOB: 8.

With RISP: 2 for 7.

Fielding

DP: 1. J Bautista-B Lawrie.

E: D Navarro (1).

Outfield Assists: J Bautista (N Aoki at 3rd base).

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 4/30/2014.

2B: N Aoki (4, off D McGowan); S Perez (9, off S Santos); A Gordon (10, off D McGowan).

HR: S Perez (2, off S Delabar; 7th inn, 1 on, 0 outs to Deep LF).

TB: S Perez 6; N Aoki 3; A Gordon 2; B Butler 2; J Dyson 2; E Hosmer; O Infante.

RBI: S Perez 4 (10); O Infante 2 (19); N Aoki (5); J Dyson (2).

2-out RBI: O Infante 2; N Aoki; J Dyson.

Team LOB: 5.

With RISP: 5 for 12.

Baserunning

SB: A Escobar (5, 2nd base off D McGowan/D Navarro); J Dyson (5, 2nd base off B Cecil/D Navarro).

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 4/30/2014.

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 4/30/2014.

Balks: None.

WP: D McGowan (1); J Vargas (1).

HBP: None.

IBB: None.

Pickoffs: None.

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