Game #85 Kansas City Royals (29-56) @ Toronto Blue Jays (32-53) - game recap

Cavan Biggio was 3-5 with a run scored and 4 RBI as the Blue Jays routed the Royals 11-4

After dropping yesterday's game in a heart-breaker, the Blue Jays wrapped up the four-game series against the KC Royals today. It's been clear this weekend that these are two teams in rebuilds. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Danny Jansen were both back in the lineup after complete days off yesterday. Justin Smoak got a complete day off, as I'm sure the Blue Jays are being cautious with his sore quad. The Blue Jays record on July 1st is an abysmal 12-23 (they had an off day once and in two seasons labor disputes meant there were no games on Canada Day). Could the Blue Jays win on Canada Day? Here is today's game recap.

Game Highlights:

• The Blue Jays opened the scoring in the bottom of the 1st as Eric Sogard scored on a groundout by Cavan Biggio
• A batter later, Randal Grichuk singled scoring Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
• The Blue Jays added a run in the bottom of the 2nd as Teoscar Hernandez crushed a solo shot to left-center
• A batter later, Freddy Glavis hammered one to dead center
• Five batters later, Biggio doubled scoring Guerrero Jr. and Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
• A batter later, Grichuk singled home Biggio. Grichuk was thrown out at 2nd base to end the inning
• The Blue Jays added one in the bottom of the 3rd as Galvis hammered one to dead center
• The Royals got one back in the top of the 4th as Jorge Soler singled home Alex Gordon
• A batter later, Cheslor Cuthbert singled scoring Hunter Dozier
• A batter later, Humberto Arteaga singled home Soler
• Glenn Sparkman pitching line: 3IP 9H 8R (all earned) 1BB 1K 58 pitches (36 for strikes)
• The Blue Jays added a run in the bottom of the 4th as Biggio singled home Guerrero Jr. 
• A batter later, Grichuk singled scoring Gurriel Jr.
• The Blue Jays added a run in the bottom of the 6th as Grichuk singled home Gurriel Jr.
• Clayton Richard pitching line: 6IP 7H 3R (all earned) 1BB 4K 79 pitches (55 for strikes)
• The Royals got one back in the top of the 7th as Whit Merrifield singled home Martin Maldanado
• Final score: Blue Jays 11 Royals 4

My Take:

• Clayton Richard had a solid outing, save for one bad inning in the 4th when the Royals scored 3 runs on 4 hits and a walk. Overall, he allowed 3 runs, 7 hits and walked one while striking out 4. It was his second straight start going 6 innings. I thought he could have gone an extra inning and maybe saved Sam Gaviglio for another day, like tomorrow.
• The bats came alive and in a big way with the Blue Jays scoring in every inning but the 5th, 7th, and 8th innings. Everyone except Danny Jansen had at least one hit
• Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (1-3, 2 walks, 3 runs scored), Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (3-4, a walk and 3 runs scored), Cavan Biggio (3-5, run scored, 4 RBI), Randal Grichuk (4-5, 4RBI), and Freddy Glavis (3-5, 2 runs scored, 2RBI) all had strong games offensively
• The Blue Jays also had their lowest number of strikeouts with just three batters (Teoscar Hernandez, Eric Sogard, and Rowdy Tellez) striking out 
• Up next, a probably tired Red Sox team rolls into town, fresh off a pair of games in London England. Jays killer David Price, who is a career 22-3 with a solid 2.70ERA vs. the Blue Jays takes the ball for Boston. The Blue Jays will counter with Trent Thornton, who will be looking to bounce back from a rough outing in NY where he was lit up for 5 runs on 7 hits and a pair of walks over 3.1 innings.