The host Kansas City Royals took advantage of some miscues to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 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 give the Royals a 2-0 lead.
After 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 Ãngel 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 Yariel RodrÃguez (0-1), who allowed three runs on six hits with two walks, striking out two in four-plus innings.
Kansas City led 3-1 after leaving the bases loaded against reliever Genesis Cabrera.
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 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.
