TORONTO (AP) — Salvador Perez drove in two runs, Seth Lugo gave up one run in five effective innings, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Toronto Blue Jays 5-3 on Tuesday night to extend their winning streak to nine games.
The last time the Kansas City Royals won nine straight was in July 2017.
Lugo (6-7) allowed six hits while striking out five to help the Royals take the first game of the three-game series.
Perez drove in the first run of the game despite grounding into a double play, then tacked on a go-ahead RBI single in the fifth for a 2-1 Kansas City lead. Kyle Isbel added insurance with an RBI sacrifice bunt, and Carter Jensen had a sacrifice fly in the sixth.
John Rave capped the scoring for the Royals with an RBI single in the ninth inning.
Max Scherzer (1-7) worked five innings, surrendering two runs on four hits for the Blue Jays. He struck out four and walked five while tying a season-high with 92 pitches. Scherzer is now within nine strikeouts of Gaylord Perry for ninth in major league history.
Jesús Sánchez scored Toronto's first run on a sacrifice fly in the first inning, tying the game 1-1. Nathan Lukes hit a two-run single in the ninth, but was thrown out while trying to reach second base to end the game.
Royals second baseman Michael Massey left the game in the fifth inning after hitting his head on the turf while making a throw.
Up next
Royals' RHP Randy Dobnak (2-1, 1.58 ERA) takes the mound for game two of the series on Wednesday while the Blue Jays have yet to announce a starter.