TORONTO — Jason Vargas turned in his best performance in months to pick up his third win in three starts.
Vargas and four relievers combined on a two-hitter, Melky Cabrera had three hits and the game's only RBI, and the Kansas City Royals beat the Toronto Blue Jays 1-0 on Thursday night.
Vargas (17-10) struck out seven in 61/3 innings to win his third straight start. None of the three batters he walked advanced beyond first base.
"He definitely was lights out tonight," Royals manager Ned Yost said.
The Blue Jays, who were blanked for the seventh time, did not have a runner reach scoring position. Their two hits matched a season low.
"We didn't hit a lick, that's for sure," manager John Gibbons said.
Vargas worked with pitching coach Dave Eiland on adjusting his mechanics after a five-start stretch from Aug. 8 until Sept. 5 in which he allowed 29 earned runs in 28 1/3 innings.
"He's been really good from that point on," Yost said. "He's been downhill. He's been changing speeds well."
Vargas hadn't had a scoreless outing since a complete-game shutout of Cleveland on June 2.
Gibbons said Vargas did a good job of keeping the Blue Jays off balance.
"He knows when to add and subtract on his pitches, can lull you to sleep away and then shoot that fastball in," Gibbons said. "He got us a few times tonight doing that."
Kendrys Morales hit a leadoff single in the second and was promptly erased on a double play, with Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar using his glove to flip the ball to second baseman Whit Merrifield.
"That's why he's got a gold patch on the back of his glove," Vargas said of Escobar, a Gold Glove winner in 2015.
Darwin Barney had the only other hit off Vargas, a leadoff single in the fifth.
The Royals, who have 10 games remaining, remained 3 1/2 games behind Minnesota for the second AL wild card spot after the Twins beat Detroit 12-1. Los Angeles and Texas are both ahead of Kansas City.
"It's a tough road ahead of us but I think we can do it," reliever Mike Minor said.
Kansas City's run came in the third against Blue Jays left-hander J.A. Happ (9-11). Alex Gordon walked with one out and advanced to second on a two-out single by Lorenzo Cain before Cabrera hit an RBI single to center.
The inning ended with Eric Hosmer at the plate when Cabrera was caught stealing. Cain broke for home as Cabrera got in a rundown, but first baseman Justin Smoak tagged Cabrera before Cain could cross home plate.
Happ allowed one run in 6 2/3 innings to lose for the first time in four September starts.
Vargas left after Morales grounded out to begin the seventh. Peter Moylan got one out and Ryan Buchter came on to retire pinch hitter Rob Refsnyder.
Joakim Soria pitched the eighth. Minor finished for his second career save.
WHITE SOX 3, ASTROS 1 Chris Volstad and Chicago’s bullpen covered 8 2/3 innings after starter Carson Fulmer left with a blister, and the White Sox beat the Houston Astros. Volstad (1-0) got his first win since 2012 with the Chicago Cubs. He allowed a run over 4 1/3 innings, and six relievers kept Houston scoreless from there. Juan Minaya worked around two walks in the ninth for his fifth save.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
CARDINALS 8, REDS 5 Dexter Fowler delivered again, getting three hits and driving in two runs as the St. Louis Cardinals overcame Scott Schebler’s two home runs to beat the Cincinnati Reds for a three-game sweep. The Cardinals began the day 2 ½ games behind Colorado for the second NL wild-card spot and five games behind the Central-leading Chicago Cubs. Fowler went 7 for 13 with two home runs and six RBIs in the series.