Blue Jays 5, Royals 2
TORONTO -- Dioner Navarro hit a two-run homer, Marco Estrada pitched into the sixth inning, and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Kansas City Royals 5-2 Thursday night.
Navarro, the Blue Jays' catcher, gave Toronto the lead for good with his second-inning home run.
Designated hitter Russell Martin and third baseman Josh Donaldson added solo shots as the Blue Jays celebrated the acquisition of left-hander David Price in a trade with the Detroit Tigers earlier in the day.
The Royals' only two runs against Estrada (8-6) came in the first inning. The right-hander allowed three hits, walked none and struck out three in 5 2/3 innings.
Royals left-hander Danny Duffy (4-5) allowed three home runs among six hits in six innings. He gave up four walks and five runs with four strikeouts in six innings.
The loss in the opener of a four-game series was the second in a row for the Royals (61-40). The Blue Jays (52-51) won their second straight.
Blue Jays left-hander Brett Cecil and right-handers LaTroy Hawkins, Aaron Sanchez and Roberto Osuna combined to pitch 3 1/3 scoreless innings. Osuna earned his sixth save of the season with a 1-2-3 ninth.
The Royals took the lead in first inning on a two-run double by DH Kendrys Morales after center fielder Lorenzo Cain was hit by a pitch and first baseman Eric Hosmer singled.
The Blue Jays got one back in the bottom of the first. Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, took third on a double by Donaldson and scored on a sacrifice fly by right fielder Jose Bautista.
The Blue Jays took a 3-2 lead in the second on the third homer of the season by Navarro following a leadoff single by center fielder Kevin Pillar.
Martin hit his 15th homer of the season on a 2-0 fastball with one out in the third to stretch the lead to 4-2.
Donaldson made it 5-2 with his 25th homer of the season, hitting a first-pitch curveball into the second deck in left with two outs in the fourth.
NOTES: LHP David Price, acquired by the Blue Jays on Thursday in a trade with the Detroit Tigers, is on schedule to pitch Sunday against the Kansas City Royals, but it has not been decided yet when he will make his Blue Jays debut. ... Toronto 2B Devon Travis (left shoulder irritation) missed his second straight game and will be re-evaluated Friday to determine if he will go on the disabled list. ... 1B/DH Edwin Encarnacion (jammed left middle finger), who was scratched from the lineup on Wednesday, did not start Thursday but was available to pinch hit. ... The Royals put INF/OF Ben Zobrist on the 25-man roster, and OF Paulo Orlando was optioned to Triple-A Omaha. ... RHP Joe Blanton was sent to the Pittsburgh Pirates for cash considerations late Wednesday. ... RHP Johnny Cueto (7-6, 2.62 ERA) will make his Royals debut Friday against Toronto RHP Drew Hutchison (9-2, 5.42).