By Larry Millson, The Sports Xchange
TORONTO — Marcus Stroman allowed two runs over eight innings, Michael Saunders homered and singled home the go-ahead run in the eighth and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Kansas City Royals 4-2 on Wednesday night to complete a three-game sweep.
It was the fifth win in a row for the Blue Jays (48-39) and the fourth straight loss in a row for the Royals (43-41). The 2015 World Series champions are 16-30 on the road.
Stroman (7-4) allowed three hits and one walk while striking out six.
Roberto Osuna pitched around a two-out single in the ninth to earn his 17th save.
Brett Eibner hit his second homer of the season with one out in the eighth inning to tie the game 2-2.
Kelvin Herrera (1-2) entered the game for the Royals in the eighth and struck out his first two batters before allowing a double to Edwin Encarnacion, a single to Saunders and a double to Russell Martin to give the Blue Jays a 4-2 lead.
Royals starter Ian Kennedy allowed four hits, one walk and two runs in six innings. The right-hander struck out 10 before Luke Hochevar replaced him in the seventh.
Stroman was perfect through five innings before walking Eibner to lead off the sixth.
Alcides Escobar tripled to left center to cut Toronto’s lead to 2-1. Stroman kept Escobar at third base by ending the inning on two groundouts and a strikeout.
Eric Homer led off the seventh with a single to right but was erased when Salvador Perez grounded to third to start a double play.
The Blue Jays had two runners on base in the first inning after Josh Donaldson walked with one out and Edwin Encarnacion followed with a single.
Kennedy then struck out four batters in a row to start a string of nine successive outs that Saunders ended with his 16th homer of the season on a 3-1 fastball with one out in the fourth.
Meanwhile, Stroman retired his first 15 batters on 11 groundouts, three strikeouts and one flyout.
The Royals’ first ball to the outfield did not come until Paulo Orlando flied out to center to end the fifth.
The Blue Jays took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the fifth on a one-out double by Junior Lake and a two-out single by Ezequiel Carrera.
NOTES: With Toronto RHP Marco Estrada (sore back) placed on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday, the team will send RHP Drew Hutchison to start Thursday against Detroit RHP Justin Verlander (8-6, 4.11 ERA) in the opener of a four-game series. RHP Bo Schultz was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo but was not expected to be available Wednesday. The back limited Estrada, an All-Star Game selection, to five innings Saturday. After a cortisone shot, Estrada thought that he could make his regular start, but manager John Gibbons said the club took the cautious route. … Royals DH Kendrys Morales had his back lock up in Tuesday’s game. He did not start Wednesday and is day to day. … Royals LHP Danny Duffy (4-1, 3.11 ERA) will face Seattle Mariners LHP James Paxton (2-3, 4.24) on Thursday in the opener of a four-game series at Kauffman Stadium.