Troy Tulowitzki and Josh Donaldson each homered in a six-run third inning as Toronto’s bats broke out at home for an 11-8 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Monday night that trimmed the Blue Jays’ deficit to 2-1 in the American League Championship Series (ALCS).
Ryan Goins also homered and had a two-run single a game after his misplayed pop fly set off Kansas City’s winning rally on Sunday.
The resilient Royals tried to come back this time, too, scoring four runs in the ninth before Roberto Osuna closed it out.
Photo: AFP
Veteran pitcher R.A. Dickey was to try to get the Blue Jays even in the best-of-seven series yesterday afternoon. He faces Kansas City’s lanky 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 post-season — after scoring just three in two games in Kansas City.
“That’s really what we’re all about,” Toronto manager John Gibbons said. “We desperately needed that breakout.”
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.
Seemingly not distracted by the contentious federal elections that were being held in Canada on Monday, 49,751 fans serenaded Kansas City pitcher Johnny Cueto with a sing-song “Cueto-Cueto!” chant from the game’s first pitch and never quieted down.
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 advantage Kanas City would hold in having their nine-game ALCS winning streak broken. The string dated to the 1985 series against Toronto.
Blue Jays center fielder Kevin Pillar quashed that rally with a fantastic, over-the-shoulder catch that sent him crashing into the wall.
“We’re just going to keep fighting,” Kansas City outfielder Alex Gordon said. “We’ve got a lot of competitors on this team and that’s what you see.”
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 that knocked off his left elbow guard. Goins pulled into second on the throw home and shouted and pumped his arms.
David Price, the losing pitcher in Game 2, led the cheering from the top step of the dugout.
When Goins scored on Donaldson’s hit, he was greeted first by the enthusiastic Stroman.
Entering in a four-for-29 post-season slump, Tulowitzki connected for the Blue Jays’ first ALCS homer after Edwin Encarnacion singled and Chris Colabello walked to start the third.
Tulowitzki got a rare playoff ejection for arguing balls and strikes before the top of the eighth. He struck out looking in the seventh.
Cueto was coming off a dominant eight-inning performance in Game 5 of the ALDS, retiring his last 19 batters. However, after giving up Pillar’s RBI double in the third, he was done.
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