Blue Jays 6, Royals 2
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion and third baseman Danny Valencia hit home runs as the Toronto Blue Jays clubbed the Kansas City Royals, 6-2, on Saturday.
That allowed left-hander Mark Buehrle to beat the Royals for the 26th time in his career. His 13 victories at Kauffman Stadium are his most in any stadium as a visitor.
Encarnacion hit a home run in the fourth off Royals right-hander Chris Young after a single by right fielder Jose Bautista. That snapped a 27-inning scoreless skid for the Blue Jays.
Valencia hit a three-run blast to straightaway center field in the ninth off Royals rookie left-hander Brandon Finnegan. Valencia jumped on a 3-and-1 fastball from Finnegan.
Shortstop Jose Reyes' infield single in the seventh scored left fielder Ezequiel Carrera with the third Blue Jays run. Reyes went 3-for-4 with a walk and stole three bases.
Young (7-5) exited after six-plus innings allowing three runs on five hits. Young, who was starting on three days of rest for only the fourth time in his career, threw 93 pitches.
The Royals scored in the seventh, when right fielder Alex Rios led off with a double, took third on second baseman Omar Infante's fly out to center fielder Kevin Pillar and scored on left fielder Paulo Orlando's ground out.
Kansas City manufactured a run in the first after shortstop Alcides Escobar led off with a double to the right-center gap. Third baseman Mike Moustakas advanced him 90 feet with a bunt and designated hitter Kendrys Morales got him home with a ground out, upping his RBI total to 58.
The Royals threatened in the second when Buehrle hit Rios with a pitch to start the inning and Infante legged out an infield single. Rookie left fielder Paulo Orlando's sacrifice bunt moved up the runners.
However, Buehrle struck out Drew Butera looking and retired center fielder Jarrod Dyson on a comebacker to strand the runners.
All-Star third baseman Josh Donaldson of the Jays was removed in the sixth inning because of flu symptoms.
NOTES: C Salvador Perez and CF Lorenzo Cain were not in the Royals lineup for a Saturday afternoon game after the Friday game did not end until after midnight because of a two-hour, seven-minute rain delay. "Asset protection," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "Long night, short turn around." ... LHP Felix Doubront, who the Blue Jays signed to a minor league contract in April, will make his second start, while the Royals' probable is RHP Edinson Volquez for the series finale on Sunday. ... Blue Jays RF Jose Bautista has reached base in 12 consecutive games against the Royals.