Vargas earns 11th victory as Royals top Blue Jays

AMERICAN LEAGUE

ROYALS 3, BLUE JAYS 2

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Jason Vargas missed most of last season after having elbow surgery in 2015. This year he is a candidate to be the AL All-Star Game starter.

Vargas earned his major league-leading 11th victory, pitching seven efficient innings to lead the surging Kansas City Royals over the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 Saturday.

The Royals won for the 11th time in 13 games and moved over .500 for the first time this season at 37-36.

"The pitching has been great, and we've got some timely hitting," said Eric Hosmer, who homered in the fourth. "We're definitely in synch as a team right now."

Vargas (11-3) allowed 2 runs on 8 hits, walked none and struck out 2. Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw was set to try for his 11th victory later Saturday against Colorado.

"It was a great day because we came out with a 'W,' " Vargas said. "I felt like in those middle innings we got into a nice rhythm and had some nice plays made for us and got us out of a couple of innings."

Troy Tulowitzki and Kevin Pillar homered off Vargas.

"I know Jason really well," Tulowitzki said. "I went to college with him. It's funny because he used to be a power guy, throw real hard. Now he's finesse. But he knows how to pitch, bottom line. He gets himself better each and every year. Other than today, I've been happy for him, honestly, just because he's a good friend and someone that really loves the game."

Pillar's home run tied the game at 2.

"The fellows came back and picked me up after I gave up that home run in the seventh," Vargas said.

Alcides Escobar had three hits and scored twice, including the go-ahead run in the seventh. He singled with one out and scored on Alex Gordon's triple down the right-field line off Marco Estrada (4-6).

After Joakim Soria struck out two in the eighth, Kelvin Herrera pitched the ninth for his 18th save in 20 chances.

Escobar tripled in the third when Blue Jays outfielders Jose Bautista and Pillar collided in right-center chasing the flyball. Escobar scored on Whit Merrifield's sacrifice fly, which was not deep. He slid in ahead of left-fielder Steve Pearce's throw.

"In that situation that's a short fly ball to left field," Escobar said. "Rusty (Kuntz, Royals base running coach) knows every outfielder and (said) if the ball is hit to left field, run. This guy is like a regular arm. He doesn't throw too hard."

The Blue Jays challenged the safe call at home, but it was upheld.

"I got my foot down before the tag," Escobar said.

Estrada gave up three runs and five hits in seven innings. He struck out six and walked four. He lost his fourth straight start but had failed to make it out of the fourth innings in two of those.

"I've had really rough outings lately," Estrada said. "Sometimes it's hard to get out of that. Put things in your head that you're not supposed to. Today, I just let it all go, you know. 'You're better than this' and make pitches and stop worrying about everything. Things went a lot better. It's still frustrating, some of those hits they got."

RANGERS 8, YANKEES 1 Austin Bibens-Dirkx pitched seven innings in his first shot at host New York after 12 seasons in the minors, and Carlos Gomez homered for Texas as it beat the Yankees. Bibens-Dirkx, a 32-year-old rookie who is filling a spot in Texas' injury-depleted rotation, scattered 5 hits and walked 1 while striking out 3 on 93 efficient pitches.

ATHLETICS 10, WHITE SOX 2 Matt Olson hit his first two major league home runs, Jaycob Brugman and Franklin Barreto also launched their first career shots and visiting Oakland routed Chicago. White Sox Manager Rick Renteria was ejected for the second consecutive game. He was tossed after third baseman Todd Frazier was ejected for showing his displeasure over a replay review that wasn't reversed.

ORIOLES 8, RAYS 3 Dylan Bundy helped Baltimore avoid a dubious pitching record, throwing seven solid innings as the Orioles beat host Tampa Bay. The Orioles had given up at least five runs in 20 consecutive games, matching the major league mark set by the 1924 Philadelphia Phillies. Bundy (8-6) allowed 3 runs and 5 hits in 7 innings.

TWINS 4, INDIANS 2 Brian Dozier hit a leadoff home run off closer Cody Allen to break an eighth-inning tie and visiting Minnesota defeated Cleveland for the second consecutive day. Minnesota used five pitchers in the victory. Taylor Rogers (4-1) recorded the final out of the seventh and pitched 1 1/3 innings.

ANGELS 6, RED SOX 3 JC Ramirez rebounded from his shortest career start with six solid innings, Cameron Maybin doubled home a run and scored another and Los Angeles held off host Boston. Ramirez (7-5) allowed 1 run and 4 hits with 5 strikeouts.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

NATIONALS 18, REDS 3 Michael Taylor homered twice among his four hits, Trea Turner finished 5 of 5 with a walk and host Washington beat Cincinnati. Washington led 13-0 as Joe Ross (4-3) blanked the Reds until Patrick Kivlehan's pinch-hit home run in the sixth.

CUBS 5, MARLINS 3 Jon Lester gave up a three-run home run to J.T. Realmuto in the first inning and then settled down to help visiting Chicago beat Miami. Lester (5-4) went 7 innings, retiring 13 in a row after Realmuto's seventh home run of the year. Cubs starters have an ERA of 2.52 over the past 11 games.

BRAVES 3, BREWERS 1 Brandon Phillips gave host Atlanta the lead with a two-run home run in the third to continue his productive homestand, R.A. Dickey threw seven strong innings and the surging Braves beat Milwaukee.

METS 5, GIANTS 2 Jacob deGrom pitched eight strong innings and Wilmer Flores hit a home run and drove in two runs as New York defeated host San Francisco. DeGrom (7-3) struck out 7 and allowed 1 run while scattering 4 hits to lead the Mets to their second consecutive victory.

PIRATES 7, CARDINALS 3 Jordy Mercer and Josh Harrison homered and starter Gerrit Cole pitched six innings, lifting visiting Pittsburgh to a victory over St. Louis. Cole (6-6) extended his winning streak to 3 games, allowing 5 hits and 1 run with 5 strikeouts and 2 walks.

Sports on 06/25/2017

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