GAME THREAD: AL: TORONTO (58-57) at KANSAS CITY (51-64)

AL: TORONTO at KANSAS CITY

<div class="pre">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TORONTO (4) AT KANSAS CITY (1) - HOW THEY SCORED
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TORONTO 3RD: A Rios tripled to deep right. V Wells hit sacrifice fly to
left, A Rios scored. F Thomas flied out to center. T Glaus flied out to
center. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TORONTO 1, KANSAS CITY 0.

TORONTO 4TH: A Hill flied out to left. G Zaun doubled to deep right.
R Olmedo grounded out to second, G Zaun to third. M Stairs walked. L Overbay
doubled to deep center, G Zaun and M Stairs scored. A Rios flied out to right.
(2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 3, KANSAS CITY 0.

TORONTO 6TH: G Zaun doubled to deep right. R Olmedo sacrificed to catcher,
G Zaun to third. M Stairs hit sacrifice fly to center, G Zaun scored.
L Overbay singled to right. A Rios reached on infield single to pitcher,
L Overbay to second. V Wells lined out to right. (1 Run, 3 Hits, 0 Errors)
TORONTO 4, KANSAS CITY 0.

KANSAS CITY 8TH: A Gordon homered to right center. J Smith grounded out to
first. J Gathright walked. B Wolfe relieved A Burnett. E German hit for
J LaRue. E German grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, J Gathright out at
second. S Downs relieved B Wolfe. D DeJesus grounded out to shortstop. (1 Run,
1 Hit, 0 Errors) TORONTO 4, KANSAS CITY 1.</div>

 

AL: TORONTO at KANSAS CITY

<div class="pre">~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TORONTO (4) AT KANSAS CITY (1) - EVENT LOG
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Toronto Starting Lineups -- M Stairs LF, L Overbay 1B, A Rios RF, V Wells CF,
F Thomas DH, T Glaus 3B, A Hill 2B, G Zaun C, R Olmedo SS, A Burnett RHP.

Kansas City Starting Lineups -- D DeJesus CF, M Grudzielanek 2B, M Teahen RF,
B Butler DH, R Gload 1B, A Gordon 3B, J Smith SS, J Gathright LF, J LaRue C,
B Bannister RHP.

Umpires -- Brian Knight (HP), Sam Holbrook (1B), Randy Marsh (2B), Bob Davidson (3B).

Gametime Weather: 100 degrees, Clear, wind right to left at 3 mph.


TORONTO 1ST: M Stairs doubled to deep right. L Overbay grounded out to
shortstop. A Rios walked. V Wells popped out to shortstop. F Thomas flied
out to right. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TORONTO 0, KANSAS CITY 0.

KANSAS CITY 1ST: D DeJesus grounded out to pitcher. M Grudzielanek struck
out looking. M Teahen grounded out to pitcher. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors)
TORONTO 0, KANSAS CITY 0.

TORONTO 2ND: T Glaus grounded out to shortstop. A Hill singled to center.
G Zaun flied out to left. R Olmedo singled to right center, A Hill to second.
M Stairs walked, A Hill to third, R Olmedo to second. L Overbay grounded out
to first. (0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 0, KANSAS CITY 0.

KANSAS CITY 2ND: B Butler reached on infield single to second. R Gload
grounded into double play, shortstop to second to first, B Butler out at
second. A Gordon walked. J Smith grounded out to second. (0 Runs, 1 Hit,
0 Errors) TORONTO 0, KANSAS CITY 0.

TORONTO 3RD: A Rios tripled to deep right. V Wells hit sacrifice fly to
left, A Rios scored. F Thomas flied out to center. T Glaus flied out to
center. (1 Run, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TORONTO 1, KANSAS CITY 0.

KANSAS CITY 3RD: J Gathright grounded out to second. J LaRue struck out
swinging. D DeJesus walked. D DeJesus stole second. M Grudzielanek singled to
right center, D DeJesus thrown out at home. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TORONTO 1,
KANSAS CITY 0.

TORONTO 4TH: A Hill flied out to left. G Zaun doubled to deep right.
R Olmedo grounded out to second, G Zaun to third. M Stairs walked. L Overbay
doubled to deep center, G Zaun and M Stairs scored. A Rios flied out to right.
(2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 3, KANSAS CITY 0.

KANSAS CITY 4TH: M Teahen grounded out to shortstop. B Butler struck out
looking. R Gload grounded out to first. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 3,
KANSAS CITY 0.

TORONTO 5TH: V Wells struck out looking. F Thomas flied out to center.
T Glaus singled to center. R Braun relieved B Bannister. A Hill grounded out
to pitcher. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TORONTO 3, KANSAS CITY 0.

KANSAS CITY 5TH: A Gordon grounded out to first. J Smith grounded out to
first. J Gathright struck out swinging. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 3,
KANSAS CITY 0.

TORONTO 6TH: G Zaun doubled to deep right. R Olmedo sacrificed to catcher,
G Zaun to third. M Stairs hit sacrifice fly to center, G Zaun scored.
L Overbay singled to right. A Rios reached on infield single to pitcher,
L Overbay to second. V Wells lined out to right. (1 Run, 3 Hits, 0 Errors)
TORONTO 4, KANSAS CITY 0.

KANSAS CITY 6TH: J LaRue grounded out to third. D DeJesus grounded out to
first. M Grudzielanek flied out to right. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 4,
KANSAS CITY 0.

TORONTO 7TH: F Thomas grounded out to first. T Glaus walked. A Hill
grounded out to shortstop, T Glaus to second. G Zaun intentionally walked.
R Olmedo grounded out to third. (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors) TORONTO 4,
KANSAS CITY 0.

KANSAS CITY 7TH: R Johnson in left field. M Teahen struck out swinging.
B Butler flied out to left. R Gload grounded out to third. (0 Runs, 0 Hits,
0 Errors) TORONTO 4, KANSAS CITY 0.

TORONTO 8TH: J Bale relieved R Braun. R Johnson grounded out to first.
L Overbay doubled to left. A Rios popped out to second. V Wells grounded out to
third. (0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TORONTO 4, KANSAS CITY 0.

KANSAS CITY 8TH: A Gordon homered to right center. J Smith grounded out to
first. J Gathright walked. B Wolfe relieved A Burnett. E German hit for
J LaRue. E German grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, J Gathright out at
second. S Downs relieved B Wolfe. D DeJesus grounded out to shortstop. (1 Run,
1 Hit, 0 Errors) TORONTO 4, KANSAS CITY 1.

TORONTO 9TH: J Buck catching. F Thomas struck out looking. T Glaus singled
to right center. A Hill flied out to center. G Zaun fouled out to first.
(0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors) TORONTO 4, KANSAS CITY 1.

KANSAS CITY 9TH: J Accardo relieved S Downs. M Grudzielanek struck out
swinging. M Teahen singled to left. B Butler grounded into double play,
second to shortstop to first, M Teahen out at second.(0 Runs, 1 Hit, 0 Errors)
TORONTO 4, KANSAS CITY 1.</div>

 

Burnett returns from DL to lead Blue Jays over Royals

<h3>TORONTO 4, KANSAS CITY 1</h3>KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Ticker) -- A.J. Burnett returned fromhis second stint on the disabled list this season to lead theToronto Blue Jays to a 4-1 victory over the Kansas City Royalson Sunday night.


Burnett (6-6), who went back on the disabled list with ashoulder strain after lasting just four innings against theMinnesota Twins on June 28, pitched 7 2/3 innings, surrenderingjust one run on three hits.


The 30-year-old righthander struck out five and walked three enroute to his first win in his last six starts dating to May 22.

Burnett was in control the entire game, allowing just one runnerto advance to second base when David DeJesus walked and stolesecond in the third inning.


DeJesus was thrown out at home by Alex Rios to end the inningwhen he attempted to score on Mark Grudzielanek's single.

Burnett's only mistake came when Alex Gordon led off the eighthinning with his 10th home run of the season.


Jeremy Accardo allowed one hit in a scoreless ninth inning topick up his 22nd save.


Kansas City starter Brian Bannister (8-7) suffered his firstloss in his last five decisions, allowing three runs on sevenhits in 4 2/3 innings. The 26-year-old struck out one andwalked three, throwing 93 pitches.


The Blue Jays opened the scoring in the third inning when VernonWells lifted a sacrifice fly to left field to plate Rios, whohad led off the inning with a triple.


Toronto added two more runs in the fourth. After Joey Gathrightrobbed Aaron Hill of a home run for the second time in as manydays, Gregg Zaun doubled to right field. Zaun advanced to thirdon a groundout by Ray Olmedo and Matt Stairs drew a walk to putrunners at first and third with two outs.


Lyle Overbay followed by stroking a double to left field,plating Zaun and Stairs and extending the lead to 3-0.

Toronto added another run in the sixth on a sacrifice fly byStairs, who extended his hitting streak to nine games with adouble to leadoff the game. The 39-year-old Stairs is hitting.406 during the streak.

 

Burnett returns from DL to lead Blue Jays over Royals

<h3>TORONTO 4, KANSAS CITY 1</h3>KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Ticker) -- A.J. Burnett returned fromhis second stint on the disabled list this season to lead theToronto Blue Jays to a 4-1 victory over the Kansas City Royalson Sunday night.


Burnett (6-6), who went back on the disabled list with ashoulder strain after lasting just four innings against theMinnesota Twins on June 28, pitched 7 2/3 innings, surrenderingjust one run on three hits.


The 30-year-old righthander struck out five and walked three enroute to his first win in his last six starts dating to May 22.

"When your arm's right, your mind's right," Burnett said. "Ifyou go out there when you're not healthy, you are going tostruggle."


"We think it'll make a strong rotation even stronger," Blue JaysManager John Gibbons said of Burnett's return. "Any givennight he's capable of going out there and pitching like that.It'll give us a boost and help us finish strong."


Burnett was in control the entire game, allowing just one runnerto advance to second base when David DeJesus walked and stolesecond in the third inning.


"Some people think he's a Cy Young candidate," catcher GreggZaun said. "And I agree with them. When he's on his game he'sa legitimate No. 1 or 2 on any club. You can tell that by thenumber of clubs that courted him. It's just a question of canhe harness that stuff."


"He had an overpowering fastball, a big breaking ball and hemixed in some changeups," Gibbons said. "It was typical A.J.Burnett."


DeJesus was thrown out at home by Alex Rios to end the thirdinning when he attempted to score on Mark Grudzielanek's single.

"Rios' throw was right on target," Zaun said. "It couldn't havebeen any better. I stayed between the runner and the plate andhe had to go around, which gave me the extra couple of ticks toget the tag on him."


Burnett's only mistake came when Alex Gordon led off the eighthinning with his 10th home run of the season.


"It was a changeup," Burnett said of the pitch to Gordon. "Andit didn't change anything but direction, and in a hurry."

"He didn't miss over the plate but once," Zaun said. "He wasable to throw his two-seamer down in the zone all night. Whenwe were pitching away, he was either right on target or missedaway. And when we were pitching in, he was either right ontarget or missed in."


Jeremy Accardo allowed one hit in a scoreless ninth inning topick up his 22nd save.


Kansas City starter Brian Bannister (8-7) suffered his firstloss in his last five decisions, allowing three runs on sevenhits in 4 2/3 innings. The 26-year-old struck out one andwalked three, throwing 93 pitches.


"I wasn't able to execute three or four pitches in a row andkeep myself in pitcher's counts," Bannister said. "I was fartoo predictable when I had to throw a strike. They knew I hadto throw a strike in certain counts and they were able toeliminate some of my secondary pitches because I was strugglingwith them."


"Bannister was in the middle of the plate or off the plate,"Royals Manager Buddy Bell said. "He threw so many pitches. Wedecided to get Banny out of there rather go to a higher pitchcount."


The Blue Jays opened the scoring in the third inning when VernonWells lifted a sacrifice fly to left field to plate Rios, whohad led off the inning with a triple.


Toronto added two more runs in the fourth. After Joey Gathrightrobbed Aaron Hill of a home run for the second time in as manydays, Zaun doubled to right field. Zaun advanced to third on agroundout by Ray Olmedo and Matt Stairs drew a walk to putrunners at first and third with two outs.


Lyle Overbay followed by stroking a double to left field,plating Zaun and Stairs and extending the lead to 3-0.

"Overbay had the big hit for them," Bell said. "Toronto has alot of guys that can swing the bat. They give you a toughat-bat up-and-down the lineup."


"It was a big hit," Zaun said. "If you give (Burnett) a two orthree-run cushion, it's over."


Toronto added another run in the sixth on a sacrifice fly byStairs, who extended his hitting streak to nine games with adouble to leadoff the game. The 39-year-old Stairs is hitting.406 during the streak.


"I'm pleased with the way I'm hitting right now," Stairs said."Especially after the way April started, you start to doubtyourself a little bit. But I got some playing time, because ofsome injuries, unfortunately. Gibby does a great job of workingeverybody into the lineup. It keeps the bench players preparedand it has made a difference for me."