Sep 20, 2017; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Kansas City Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas (8) hits a home run against the Toronto Blue Jays in the sixth inning at Rogers Centre. Photo Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
TORONTO — Mike Moustakas set a club record for home runs in a season and Jakob Janis won his sixth straight decision as the Kansas City Royals defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 15-5 on Wednesday night.
Moustakas hit his 37th homer in the four-run sixth inning to surpass the former team mark for a season set by Steve Balboni, who hit 36 in 1985.
Whit Merrifield and Salvador Perez, who had three RBIs, also homered for the Royals (74-77), who ended a three-game losing streak.
Moustakas and Merrifield each had three hits.
The Blue Jays (71-81) had only a walk and an infield hit through the first six innings before scoring four runs in the seventh inning with both teams playing mostly reserves.
Toronto’s Raffy Lopez hit his fourth homer of the season in the ninth against Kelvin Herrera.
Junis (8-2) allowed three hits, two walks and four runs (two earned) while striking out three in 6 1/3 innings. His winning streak is the longest by a Royals rookie since Miguel Asencio won six in a row in 2002.
Toronto starter Brett Anderson (3-4, 1-2 with Toronto) lasted only 1 1/3 innings, allowing seven hits, two walks and eight runs.
Toronto reliever Carlos Ramirez, a September callup, allowed four runs in the sixth, the first earned runs against him all season.
Merrifield led off with his 18th homer of the season. Lorenzo Cain walked and Melky Cabrera hit an RBI double and two batters later scored on a groundout by Perez.
Moustakas homered with two outs.
Ramirez had gone 47 2/3 innings this season, 10 in the majors, without giving up an earned run.
Rob Refsnyder, who entered the game to play first base in the top of the seventh, led off the bottom of the seventh with a single. Junis made a throwing error on a grounder by Michael Saunders that put runners at second and third and pinch-hitter Miguel Montero walked.
Teoscar Hernandez hit a two-run double and Lopez had a sacrifice fly.
Ryan Buchter replaced Junis and gave up a sacrifice fly to Ryan Goins.
Jorge Bonifacio and Raul Mondesi had RBI singles for Kansas City in the eighth against Tim Mayza.
The Royals scored once in the first inning on singles by Whit Merrifield and Lorenzo Cain, a double steal, and a sacrifice fly by Melky Cabrera.
Kansas City added eight runs in the second. Moustakas singled, Jorge Bonifacio doubled and Alcides Escobar hit a two-run single.
Alex Gordon walked and Merrifield delivered an RBI single. Gordon and Merrifield executed a double steal with Gordon going home on the throwing error by catcher Russell Martin. Cabrera walked with one out and Eric Hosmer hit a two-run double.
Luis Santos replaced Anderson and gave up Perez’s 26th homer of the season, a two-run blast, and the Royals led 9-0.
NOTES: Blue Jays RHP Marco Estrada signed a one-year, $13-million contract extension for 2018. Estrada, who is 9-8 with a 4.84 ERA in 31 starts this season, was eligible for free agency at the end of the season. … Blue Jays INF Richard Urena, a September callup, ended a 0-for-18 drought with an eighth-inning double. … Royals 2B Whit Merrifield stretched his hitting streak to six games with three hits and 1B Eric Hosmer also has a six-game streak after his two-run double in the second. … Royals LHP Jason Vargas (16-10, 4.19 ERA) will face Blue Jays LHP J.A. Happ (9-10, 3.76) in the series finale Thursday.
