TORONTO (AP) — Seth Lugo pitched seven strong innings to win for the fifth time in seven starts, Michael Massey hit a three-run home run and the Kansas City Royals beat the Toronto Blue Jays 6-1 on Wednesday.
Bobby Witt Jr. had two hits, scored once and also drove in a run as the Royals won for the fifth time in seven meetings with Toronto.
Witt also turned in a highlight defensive play, making a sliding stop and throwing from one knee to retire Bo Bichette for the final out of the sixth inning.
“That was a great play,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “Just to get something on that throw, once he got there, and to do it accurately to get a good runner, that was really impressive.”
Lugo was equally appreciative of Witt’s defensive effort.
“He wows me every day,” Lugo said. “I thought it was a base hit for sure. He’s awesome.”
Salvador Perez had an RBI single and extended his career-best streak of reaching base safely to 21 games. His .355 batting average and 27 RBIs lead the American League.
“He’s always fun to watch but what he’s doing right now is incredible,” Royals center fielder Kyle Isbel said. “I’ve never really seen anything like it. He’s barreling everything.”
Perez’s streak of reaching safely is the second-longest active streak in the majors behind Milwaukee’s Christian Yelich (23 games).
“Who knows where we’d be without him?,” Quatraro asked of Perez.
Massey homered off right-hander Nate Pearson in the eighth, his second in two games. He finished with four RBIs.
Lugo (5-1) allowed just one hit, Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s single in the first, until Toronto catcher Danny Jansen homered with two outs in the seventh. The solo blast was Jansen’s third of the season.
Lugo walked two and struck out eight. He lowered his ERA to 1.60.
“He’s putting together some of the best-pitched games that we’ve seen,” Quatraro said.
Chris Stratton worked the eighth and Nick Anderson finished.
Blue Jays right-hander Chris Bassitt (2-5) didn’t allow a hit through five innings, but had his outing unravel after Isbel doubled to begin the sixth.
“That was a huge at-bat by Izzy there to kind of break up (Bassitt’s) momentum,” Massey said. “He was nasty tonight.”
Maikel Garcia sacrificed Isbel to third and Witt followed with a tiebreaking single through the drawn-in infield.
Vinnie Pasquantino doubled, advancing Witt to third, and Perez made it 2-0 with another base hit through the infield. Massey’s RBI groundout capped the inning.
Bassitt lost his third straight start, allowing three runs and four hits in six innings. He walked one and struck out four.
The Royals used replay review to confirm that Perez was hit by a two-out pitch in the fourth inning. Massey struck out to end the frame.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider was upset that the umpires didn’t rule Perez had swung at the pitch.
“I think it was pretty obvious the ball hit him and it was even more obvious that he took a full swing,” Schneider said. “So, by the rules, he’s out. I thought that was a terrible call.”
Perez started at catcher for Kansas City. He was scratched from Monday’s start behind the plate but came on as a pinch hitter. Perez started at first base Tuesday.
UP NEXT
Royals: RHP Brady Singer (2-1, 2.62) is scheduled to start Friday as Kansas City hosts Texas. RHP Michael Lorenzen (2-1, 4.24) goes for the Rangers.
Blue Jays: LHP Yusei Kikuchi (2-2, 294 ERA) is expected to start Friday as Toronto visits Washington for a three-game series.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Ian Harrison, The Associated Press
