George Springer hit two home runs, right-hander Alek Manoah allowed two hits in seven innings, and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the visiting Kansas City Royals 4-0 on Saturday afternoon.
Springer had three RBIs and Marcus Semien added an RBI triple for the Blue Jays, who have won the first two games of the three-game series that marks their return to the Rogers Centre for the first time since Sept. 29, 2019.
Manoah (3-1), who had not pitched since July 9 because of a back contusion, walk one while striking out four. The seven innings matched his career best.
Royals left-hander Mike Minor (8-9) allowed four runs, five hits, and one walk with six strikeouts in seven innings.
After giving up Springer’s home run on his first pitch of the game, Minor retired seven batters in a row before Alejandro Kirk singled with two out in the third. Springer followed with his second homer of the game and his 11th of the season.
The Blue Jays added a run in the sixth. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. led off with an infield single to third and scored on a triple by Semien on a sinking drive that skipped past center fielder Michael A. Taylor.
Manoah retired 16 consecutive batters before Hunter Dozier singled with two out in the seventh. He retired the final batter on a groundout.
Ryan Borucki replaced Manoah in the eighth and allowed a one-out walk. Adam Cimber replaced the left-hander with two out. Whit Merrifield singled to extend his hit streak to 11 games and Carlos Santana struck out.
Greg Holland pitched a perfect bottom of the eighth for the Royals.
Cimber returned in the top of the ninth to strike out the side.
With Manoah being activated from the injured list, the Blue Jays optioned right-hander Trent Thornton to Triple-A Buffalo on Saturday.
The Royals recalled outfielder Edward Olivares from Triple-A Omaha and optioned infielder Lucius Fox to Omaha on Saturday.
Olivares walked as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning Saturday and finished the game in right field.
–Field Level Media