Royals 3, Blue Jays 0
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Eric Hosmer stroked four hits and Danny Duffy combined with three relievers on a six-hit shutout as the Kansas City Royals beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-0 Friday night for their sixth straight victory.
First baseman Hosmer's four-hit game was his first since July 1, 2014, and raised his average to .292.
Catcher Salvador Perez led off the eighth with his 15th home run, a shot off reliever Ryan Tepera.
Duffy (3-4) allowed four singles over six innings to pick up the victory.
Greg Holland worked the ninth for his 18th save. Kelvin Herrera and Wade Davis, both All-Star selections, each worked a scoreless inning prior to Holland.
Jays starter Marco Estrada (6-5) was tagged for his first loss since May 27, giving up two runs on nine hits in 6 2/3 innings.
Toronto has not scored a run in 24 innings and was shut out in back-to-back games for the first time since June 7-8, 2014, against St. Louis.
Estrada was visited by the trainer and manager John Gibbons with two outs in the first inning after Hosmer drilled a single off his right shin. Estrada limped back to the mound and made a few warmup tosses, but remained in the game.
In his previous two starts against the Orioles and Rays, Estrada did not allow a hit until the eighth inning, but the Royals managed eight hits and two runs in the first four innings.
Right fielder Alex Rios doubled to center in the second to score Perez, who led off the inning with a single.
The Royals picked up a two-out run in the fourth when shortstop Alcides Escobar's single scored Rios, who singled and stole second, his 250th career steal.
Duffy, who was making his fourth start since coming off the disabled list, walked left fielder Danny Valencia and gave up a single to designated hitter Russell Martin to leadoff the fourth, but retired the next three batters without the runners advancing.
Jays shortstop Jose Reyes opened the third with a single, but was thrown out by left fielder Jarrod Dyson when he attempted to stretch it into a double. Dyson has three assists in as many games since replacing the injured Alex Gordon.
NOTES: The start of the game was delayed two hours and seven minutes because of rain, with the first pitch at 9:17 p.m. CDT. ... 3B Mike Moustakas was reinstated from the bereavement/family medical emergency list after missing four games to be with his mother, who is ill. ... 3B Cheslor Cuthbert was optioned to Triple-A Omaha. The Royals went 4-0 with Cuthbert starting at third base. ... Jays rookie RHP Aaron Sanchez will throw 50 pitches for Class A Dunedin on Saturday and then report to Triple-A Buffalo for rehab starts Thursday and July 21. He is on the disabled list with a right latissimus dorsi strain. ... Jays LHP Mark Buehrle will start a Saturday matinee against the Royals, who will counter with RHP Chris Young working on three days' rest.