Bo knows first homer as Blue Jays sweep the Royals

KANSAS CITY, MO. — Bo Bichette’s first career homer helped lead the Toronto Blue Jays to a three-game sweep of the Kansas City Royals in American League baseball play Wednesday.

Bichette’s big moment came at the start of the eighth inning against Royals starter Jakob Junis, when his drive cleared the left-centre field wall in the 4-1 win on Wednesday. Freddy Galvis also hit a crucial solo shot to centre in the seventh that was his 16th homer of the season.

Bichette made his major league debut here Monday.

“After the first game was over, I was able to say, ‘OK, my career has started,’ and then treat it like any other normal day,” Bichette said. “He got me out on two sliders the first two at-bats and I made an adjustment and I hit it really hard.”

Galvis’ homer, which gave the Blue Jays a 2-1 lead, surprised Junis (6-10).

“He kind of dove out over the plate to get it and scooped it up and got it in the air,” Junis said. “I thought Bubba (Starling) might have a chance on the warning track or something but it just kept carrying out.”

Cavan Biggio followed Bichette’s homer with a double, ending Junis’ outing. Reliever Kevin McCarthy surrendered a run-scoring double to Teoscar Hernandez.

Rookie Jacob Waguespack (2-1) went six innings for his second win in his fourth big-league start. He held the Royals to three hits and one run. Cam Gallagher barely cleared the left-field bullpen fence for his second homer, drilling a 2-2 pitch from Waguespack to open the third inning.

Waguespack got exceptional defensive help. Deep outfield catches by Lourdes Gurriel Jr. in left and Randal Grichuk in centre prevented extra-base hits by Jorge Soler in the first inning and Hunter Dozier in the third.