Kazuma Okamoto’s fourth hit of the night went for a tiebreaking, seventh-inning RBI single, and the Toronto Blue Jays made it hold to win their fourth straight, 4-3 over the host Kansas City Royals on Saturday, to move above .500 for the first time since early April.
With the game tied 3-3, Kansas City’s Craig Kimbrel (1-3) walked George Springer, who then stole second base. With two out, Nathan Lukes grounded to shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., whose throw pulled first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino off the bag to extend the inning. Okamoto then grounded a single to center, bringing home Springer.
The Royals (63-80) put runners on first and second with nobody out in the eighth against Tyler Rogers, but Pasquantino bounced into a 1-6-3 double play and Michael Massey then grounded out to first. Louis Varland pitched a scoreless ninth for his 33rd save as the Blue Jays (72-71), who have a winning record for the first time since sitting 4-3 on April 3, moved into a tie for the final American League wild-card spot.
Okamoto drove in two runs and Lukes had three hits with an RBI while Mason Fluharty (6-1) threw a scoreless inning to get the win. Meanwhile, Toronto starter Max Scherzer allowed three runs over 5 2/3 innings.
Kansas City’s Seth Lugo gave up three runs on eight hits and two walks over five innings. He struck out one. Salvador Perez had two hits with an RBI and John Rave homered for the Royals, who have lost five of six.
Toronto opened the scoring with two out in the first. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. singled then scored from first base on Alejandro Kirk’s infield hit coupled with third baseman Josh Rojas’ throwing error. Lukes then followed with an RBI single to left.
The Royals answered in the bottom of the frame, however. Scherzer hit leadoff batter Carter Jensen, then Witt doubled to left. Jac Caglianone and Perez followed with RBI singles to tie the contest.
Toronto regained the lead in the third when Lukes singled and scored from first on Okamoto’s double off the third base bag. But the Royals tied it again, this time on Rave’s homer just inside the right field foul pole in the fourth.
Caglianone exited in the third inning due to left elbow soreness.
