Berríos solid but can’t overcome quiet bats

Struggles for top of order continue as horrible April ends

Blue Jays ace José Berríos squared off against Kansas City counterpart Cole Ragans for the second time in six days, and the two hurlers gave nearly a repeat performance Tuesday night in a 4-1 win for the Royals.

Last week, in a rain-shortened five-inning affair, Berríos gave up a two-run home run to Salvador Pérez in the first inning and Ragans took it from there for a 2-1 win.

This time, Berríos gave up a tworun home run to Michael Massey in the second inning and Ragans took it from there, leaving with two out in the bottom of the seventh and the score 2-1 for Kansas City.

Berríos, who fell to 4-2 and saw his ERA rise to 1.44, gave up just four other hits, all singles, over his seven innings, walking only one, but he was betrayed by an offence that managed only one hit outside the sixth inning.

In that frame, Isiah Kiner-Falefa led off with a single and wound up scoring on the second of back-toback two-out singles by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette.

It was the first time in 12 games that Guerrero and Bichette each had a hit in the same inning.

The two of them, along with leadoff hitter George Springer, who went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts, will be thrilled to see the calendar flip to the month of May.

The trio, which has formed the top of the Jays’ order for most of their 31 games this season, has combined to hit just .218 with a total of seven home runs.

That the Jays are 15-16 with such a massive lack of production at the top of the order is a credit to the team’s pitching and defence.

Erik Swanson, still trying to get back on track after starting the season on the injured list, started the eighth with two quick outs before giving up a single and double to give the Royals some insurance they didn’t need.

Kansas City relievers John Schreiber and James McArthur followed Ragans and retired all seven hitters they faced.