KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Royals manager Mike Matheny felt awfully good about the way his team played in a 7-5 win over the Toronto Blue Jays.
Jakob Junis ran his scoreless streak to 14 innings. The offense pumped out five extra-base hits, stringing enough together to produce a seven-run lead. And when Kansas City’s bullpen was on the ropes, Scott Barlow retired hot-hitting Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to leave the potential tying run on base and earn the save.
All of which left Matheny stumped when he walked into the postgame clubhouse Thursday night.
“There was no music,” he said. “I heard people yelling at Brady Singer — I don’t know if they’ve made him the impromptu DJ, but he dropped the ball. I was a little disappointed. I wondered if they didn’t think that was a good enough win.”
Maybe they’re just becoming the norm.
The Royals have won three straight and four of five to take over first place in the AL Central.
Junis (1-0) was charged with two runs on five hits and a walk while pitching into the sixth, but both his runs scored with reliever Jake Newberry on the mound. Kyle Zimmer also gave up a run before Barlow finished things off.
“Any time you’re winning ballgames, it’s always really fun in the clubhouse,” Barlow said. “The team looks really good, you know? Watching the hitters do their thing tonight was really fun. It’s been fun to watch.”
Guerrero finished a triple shy of the cycle for the Blue Jays. The highlight for them was his two-out homer in the seventh that soared over the fountains in left field and landed an estimated 456 feet from home plate.
It certainly wasn’t spot starter Anthony Kay (0-1), who gave up five runs and six hits in 3 1/3 innings.
“I felt like I made a bunch of good pitches,” he said. “They were…
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