Game #83 Kansas City Royals (28-55) @ Toronto Blue Jays (31-52) - game recap

Danny Jansen hit a 2-run walk off HR in the 9th as the Blue Jays knocked off the Royals 7-5

After a great come from behind win led by the hot stick of Lourdes Gurriel Jr, who homered twice, the Blue Jays look for their second straight win. Marcus Stroman gets his second to last start before the all-star break tonight. It's expected he or Ken Giles will be the rep for the Blue Jays at the all-star game. In the event of injury to one of the outfielders, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. has made a strong case for being an injury replacement. He has 6 outfield assists to lead all AL left fielders and has jacked his average to .309 with a pair of HR last night. Danny Jansen got his 4th straight start behind the plate.

Game Highlights:

• The Royals opened the scoring in the top of the 1st on a horrible throwing error by Marcus Stroman on a sac bunt by Nicky Lopez that scored Whit Merrifield
• Four batters later, Lucas Duda singled scoring Lopez
• The Blue Jays got one back in the bottom of the 3rd as Vladimir Guerrero Jr. lined a solo shot into the Blue Jays bullpen in left
• The Royals added a run in the top of the 4th as Martin Maldanado cracked a solo blast into the Royals bullpen in right
• Marcus Stroman pitching line: 4IP 4H 3R (all earned) 2BB 4K 66 pitches (40 for strikes)
• The Royals added a run in the top of the 5th as Hunter Dozier doubled home Lopez
• The Blue Jays took the lead in the bottom half of the inning on a Cavan Biggio grand slam that just cleared the wall in straightaway center also scoring Brandon Drury, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Eric Sogard
• Homer Bailey pitching line: 5IP 5IP 5H 5R (all earned) 4BB 6K 103 pitches (58 for strikes)
• The Royals tied it in the top of the 9th as Billy Hamilton scored on a sac fly by Alex Gordon
• The Blue Jays walked it off in the bottom half of the inning on a 2-run blast by Danny Jansen to dead center that also scored Randal Grichuk
• Final score: Blue Jays 7 Royals 5

My Take:

• Marcus Stroman left the game after throwing 2 pitches in the 5th.The Blue Jays are calling it a left pectoral strain. You can bet that the Blue Jays will be extra cautious, even if it means skipping his final pre-all-star start and perhaps the AS game itself. Sttoman had been pitching decent to that point,giving up a trio of runs, 4 hits, a pair of walks, while striking out 3. He also had a horrible throwing error in the 1st inning,
• It may be that there is an injury concern (or potential trade) with Ken Giles as he did not pitch the 9th in a save opportunity and Daniel Hudson promptly blew the save.
• The Blue Jays young guns got the job down. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. went yard in the 3rd to get the Blue Jays on the board. Cavan Biggio hit a huge grand slam to give his team the lead in the 5th. Danny Jansen hit a mammoth 2-run shot to walk it off in the 9th.
• Video review also went the Blue Jays way, confirming a mammoth Martin Maldanado blast just hooked foul in the 2nd. He homered 2 innings later.
• Up next, the Blue Jays go for the series win as Aaron Sanchez pitches against Royals righty Brad Keller.