Teoscar Hernandez and Matt Chapman hit three-run homers and Alek Manoah threw seven strong innings as the Toronto Blue Jays dumped the Kansas City Royals 8-1 on Friday night at Rogers Centre.
Hernandez went deep off Royals starter Zack Greinke (3-6) in the third inning and Chapman broke things open with a blast off Carlos Hernandez in the fifth.
Manoah earned his 10th win of the season, allowing four hits and one earned run with six strikeouts. Relievers Trevor Richards and Anthony Banda worked an inning apiece.
Chapman and Raimel Tapia had three hits apiece as Toronto (48-43) won for the third time in four games. The Blue Jays, who outhit the Royals 16-5, entered play tied with Boston for the third wild-card spot in the American League.
Royals leadoff man Edward Olivares legged out an infield hit to open the game. Manoah (10-4) responded by retiring the next 12 batters in order.
Toronto had chances in the first two innings against Greinke but the veteran right-hander escaped major damage.
The Blue Jays had a runner on third base in the first inning but didn't score. Tapia brought home Hernandez with a single in the second but George Springer struck out with two runners in scoring position.
Toronto caught a break in the third when Bobby Witt Jr., booted a tailor-made double-play ball. Hernandez made the Royals pay by belting a cutter some 416 feet over the wall in centre field for his 12th homer of the year.
Kansas City (36-54) scratched out a run in the fifth after Ryan O'Hearn was hit by a pitch and Nick Pratto singled for his first big-league hit. The runners advanced on a groundout and Nicky Lopez brought O'Hearn home with a single.
In the bottom half, Chapman launched his 15th homer of the season. The 399-foot shot landed in the 200 level just inside the foul screen in left field.
The Royals are using a patchwork lineup of call-ups and regulars for this four-game series. Ten players from the 26-man roster are on the restricted list because of their COVID-19 vaccination status.
Announced attendance was 26,422 and the game took two hours 48 minutes to play.
ROSTER MOVES
The Royals reinstated right-hander Josh Staumont from the injured list and recalled right-hander Carlos Hernandez from Triple-A Omaha before the game.
Left-hander Angel Zerpa, who earned the win in the series opener, returned to Double-A Northwest Arkansas.
COMING UP
The Blue Jays have yet to finalize their starter for Saturday's game. The Royals will send left-hander Daniel Lynch (3-7, 4.92) to the hill.
Jose Berrios (7-4, 5.38) will start for Toronto on Sunday in the final game before the all-star break. Left-hander Kris Bubic (1-6, 6.63) goes for the Royals.
