The Blue Jays and the Royals have been around .500 all season, but they played very well yesterday. In a match-up between Jason Vargas and Dustin McGowan, you can never expect what is going to happen. There could be a lot of runs or runs could be scarce. Yesterday, the starters were decent, but one team's bullpen collapse turned out to be the difference in the outcome.
The scoring did not wait to start. The third batter of the game, Jose Bautista, took Jason Vargas yard, giving the Jays an early 1-0 lead. But then the Royals battled back, scoring two in the second, on a wild pitch and a Dioner Navarro throwing error trying to catch Alcides Escobar stealing. By the seventh, the Blue Jays retook the lead, scoring four runs to put them ahead 5-2. The Royals battled back and cut the deficit to one on a Salvador Perez two-run home run. Then, in the eighth, the Royals took the lead, scoring six runs, the bulk of which came on a two-run double from Perez and a two-run single from Omar Infante. The Royals would go on to win 10-7, after Edwin Encarnacion homered in the ninth off of Louis Coleman.
The Blue Jays' bullpen allowed seven runs, after McGowan allowed only three (two earned) over six strong innings. He struck out two and lowered his ERA to 5.87. Jason Vargas allowed five runs on 10 hits. He struck out five, and his ERA is up to 2.40. The Royals' bullpen only allowed two runs, both on Encarnacion's home run.
Royals 10, Blue Jays 7
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