Guerrero continues streak as Jays split
Toronto slugger increases his on-base string to 15 straight games
TORONTO — The Blue Jays earned a split Saturday in Kansas City, a fitting end to a day that began with stellar pitching, solid defence and two big blasts.
The nightcap would feature an error, multiple positional moves, very few hits and pitching that was good enough until Joel Payamps was taken deep by Salvador Perez on a walk-off homer in the bottom of the seventh inning as the Royals would emerge with a 3-2 win.
Steven Matz's pitching and two homers hit by the Jays would fuel Toronto to its 5-1 win in the opening game.
The night cap proved much tighter.
It's been Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s booming bat that continues to make headlines and leave impressions, at times his play at first base generates buzz. In Saturday's second game, it was Guerrero's legs.
He drew a walk in the fourth, went first to third on a single and then tied the game when he scored on a sac fly.
K.C. asked for a review thinking Guerrero may have prematurely left third base.
The score stood and the Blue Jays and Royals were knotted, 2-2. Guerrero has reached base in all 15 games.
He DHed in the second game after playing first base in the first game.
Toronto took control of the first game by scoring two runs in its first at bats.
The night cap was much closer and competitive.
Thomas Milone started and then made way for Anthony Castro after 2.1 innings.
Ryan Borucki entered the game with two out and a runner at second in the fourth.
An infield hit put runners at the corner before Borucki got out of the inning when he induced Whit Merrifield to fly to centre.
Trent Thornton came into the fray with one out in the fifth as Toronto's depleted pitching began to get thinner.
Fortunately, doubleheaders feature seven-inning games.
MARVELLOUS MATZ
Matz improved to 3-0 on the season when he pitched a two hitter, carrying a no-hitter into the sixth inning.
It wouldn't have been an official no-hitter because it was just a seven-inning game.
Matz, nonetheless, was sharp from his first pitch.
The Blue Jays' pitching has been plagued by injuries and few could have envisioned Matz, acquired this past off-season following a disappointing 2020 with the New York Mets, performing this well.
“It's fun to get in a groove early on in the season, especially when you've got a lineup like this,'' said Matz.
“It's been good. I'm just trying to build off of each start, take a little bit from each start and try to get better every time out. That's the goal going forward.”
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. doubled home the first two runs of the game with a deep shot to left-centre field that nearly cleared the wall, his first extra-base hit of the season.
Vlad Jr. and Jonathan Davis belted blasts.
It was Vlad Jr.'s fourth of the season and second in two games at Kauffman Stadium.
For Davis, it was his first long ball and it came on his first hit of the season.
Matz allowed a pair of walks before Nicky Lopez hit a blooper to left with one out.
He then gave up Andrew Benintendi's two-out double.
The left-hander, who gave way to Rafael Dolis for the seventh inning, struck out five as Kansas City was able to hit just five balls out of the infield.