Blue Jays get going at home
Toronto hitters break out
BLUE JAYS 11, ROYALS 8
TORONTO — Josh Donaldson and the slugging Toronto Blue Jays were eager to return to their homer dome after losing the first two games of the American League Championship Series in Kansas City.
They showed everyone why.
The Blue Jays came out swinging, with Donaldson and Troy Tulowitzki connecting in a six-run third inning as Toronto roughed up Johnny Cueto and the Royals for an 11-8 victory that cut Kansas City’s series lead to 2-1.
Ryan Goins also homered and had a two-run single a game after his misplayed pop fly set off Kansas City’s winning rally Sunday.
The resilient Royals tried to come back this time, too, scoring four runs in the ninth before Roberto Osuna closed it out.
Veteran knuckleballer R.A. Dickey will try to get the Blue Jays even in the best-of-seven series this afternoon. He will face Kansas City’s 6-foot10 right-hander, Chris Young, in Game 4.
Despite being outhit 15-11 by the pesky Royals, Toronto pounced on Kansas City’s pitching in the first ALCS game in Toronto since 1993 for their most runs ever at home in the postseason — after scoring just three in two games in Kansas City.
The Blue Jays needed them, too. Kansas City scored four times off starter Marcus Stroman and then added four in the ninth, capped by Kendrys Morales’ two-run homer off Osuna.
The Royals took a quick lead when Alcides Escobar led off the game with a sinking liner that went under right fielder Jose Bautista’s glove for a triple off Stroman. Ben Zobrist drove in Escobar with a grounder, but that was the only lead Kansas City had as its nine-game ALCS winning streak ended. The string dated to the 1985 series against Toronto.
After an easy first, Cueto appeared flustered by the crowd. Eleven of his remaining 13 batters reached and at one point in the third inning he threw his hands up in frustration after gesturing for a new cycle of signs from catcher Salvador Perez.
Goins singled in two runs in the second after Tulowitzki singled with one out and Russell Martin was hit by a pitch. Goins pulled into second on the throw home and shouted and pumped his arms.
Tulowitzki connected for the Blue Jays’ first ALCS homer after Edwin Encarnacion singled and Chris Colabello walked to start the third.
Cueto gave up six hits and eight runs in twoplus innings. He walked four and hit a batter with a pitch.