Alejandro Kirk and Ernie Clement had two hits and a pair of RBIs apiece to help the visiting Toronto Blue Jays post a 9-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Friday.
After Toronto (71-71) starter Jameson Taillon exited with elbow discomfort following two innings, four relievers combined to throw seven innings of one-run ball. Michael Lorenzen earned a rare three-inning save to close the door.
George Springer also drove in two runs for the Blue Jays, who won their sixth game in seven tries, pulling within a half-game of the Cleveland Guardians for the third American League wild card slot.
Daniel Lynch IV (4-5) allowed five runs on seven hits across five innings while walking one for the Royals (63-79), who have lost four of their last five. Bobby Witt Jr. and Vinnie Pasquantino bookended the loss with solo homers for Kansas City.
Toronto jumped on Lynch early, as Brett Bateman was hit by a pitch and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. slashed a one-out single in the top of the first. Kirk and Kazuma Okamoto then lined consecutive RBI base hits to give the visitors a 2-0 edge.
Two batters later, Clement hit his 30th double of the season to extend the first-inning margin to four.
Witt helped cut into the deficit in the bottom of the first, as he connected on his 17th homer of the year — a 410-foot solo shot.
Myles Straw and Guerrero singled in the second, before Kirk drove in another run with a double to center.
Taillon was relieved after the second inning by Joe Mantiply (2-0) who tossed two scoreless frames.
Nolan Hoffman entered for Lynch in the sixth. The first Kansas City reliever was greeted with singles from Clement and Nathan Lukes and Straw’s run-scoring sacrifice bunt.
Brett Bateman then walked and Springer followed with a two-run double to make it 8-1.
Rookie first baseman Sean Keys entered as a defensive replacement for Guerrero in the eighth before leading off the top of the ninth with his second major league homer off Kansas City reliever Easton McGee.
