KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Yusei Kikuchi and four relievers limited the Kansas City Royals to one run on four hits, and the Toronto Blue Jays snapped a three-game losing streak with a 4-1 victory in Whit Merrifield's return to Kauffman Stadium on Tuesday night.
Matt Chapman was 3-for-4 with a double for Toronto, and Merrifield doubled and scored the go-ahead run in his first game back in the city where he spent most of seven seasons before he was traded last August.
Kikuchi (1-0) allowed one run on three hits and retired the side in order three times over his five innings. He was also helped by his defense, with left fielder Daulton Varsho throwing out Matt Duffy at the plate in the second inning.
Jordan Romano pitched a perfect ninth for his second save.
Kris Bubic (0-1) worked around trouble most of the night, only retiring the Blue Jays in order in the fifth, his last inning. He allowed two runs on seven hits and one walk. He was relieved by Carlos Hernandez, who yielded a home run to Varsho on his first pitch.
Franmil Reyes got the Royals on the board in the second with his first hit in a Kansas City uniform, a 455-blast over the fountains in left center. Reyes had been 0-for-6 in his first two games with the Royals.
The Jays tied it in the top of the third. Bo Bichette, Vlad Guerrero Jr. and Chapman stroked consecutive singles, with Chapman driving in Bichette. Toronto added another run in the fourth. Merrifield led off with a double down the left-field line, went to third on a fly ball and scored on a wild pitch.
The Blue Jays will send RHP Alek Manoah (0-0, 13.50 ERA) to the mound to face Kansas City’s RHP Zach Greinke (0-1, 3.38 ERA) Wednesday night in the third game of a four-game series. Manoah got a no-decision on opening day when the Blue Jays defeated the Cardinals 10-9. Greinke allowed two runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings as the Royals lost to the Twins 2-0 on opening day.
