Blue Jays at Royals
The Kansas City Royals will try to win their fifth straight for the first time since September 2011 when they host the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night. The Royals sit three games over .500 for the first time since May 12, 2011 and haven’t been four games over .500 since May 10, 2009. The Blue Jays are struggling to get outs, having allowed 51 runs in their last seven games. Toronto's starting pitchers have a 7.59 ERA combined through the first nine contests.
Both teams have been getting solid production from their lead-off hitters. Kansas City left fielder Alex Gordon, who started 0-for-18 last season, is 14-for-37 with three doubles and two triples. Toronto shortstop Jose Reyes is 14-for-34 with four stolen bases. Billy Butler has 10 RBIs in the last four games for Kansas City and Jeff Francoeur has hit safely in seven straight games. Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista, the major league's home run leader in 2010 and 2011, is 2-for-11 with no homers since returning from a three-game absence due to a right ankle injury.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, SNET (Toronto), Fox Sports Kansas City
PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays LH J.A. Happ (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Royals RH Luis Mendoza (0-0, 1.50 ERA)
While starting pitching has not been a bright spot for the Blue Jays, Happ is off to a strong start. He allowed one hit and no runs in 5 1/3 innings of his season debut against the Boston Red Sox. Happ is still finding his way around the American League after spending the majority of his first six years in the National League. He has never pitched at Kauffman Stadium and faced the Royals just once, giving up two earned runs and four hits over six innings in a victory last season while still with the Houston Astros.
The Royals will gladly take a repeat performance of Mendoza’s season opener against the Philadelphia Phillies, when he allowed one run and two hits in six innings. He was one out from notching the victory but Kevin Frandsen laced a walk-off three-run double to beat the Royals 4-3. Mendoza has already been informed he’ll miss his next start in the rotation because the Royals have two off days next week. Blue Jays clean-up hitter Edwin Encarnacion should be happy to see Mendoza. Encarnacion, off to a 5-for-35 start, has four hits in five career at-bats against Mendoza.
WALK-OFFS
1. Mendoza is 1-5 in April during his career with a 7.88 ERA.
2. The Royals have won their first three games at Kauffman Stadium after losing their first 10 at home last April.
3. The Blue Jays have allowed six runs or more in six of their first nine games. The only season they allowed six or more runs in fewer games was 1979, when their opponent hit that mark in six of the first eight games and Toronto went on to lose a franchise-record 109 games.