Max Scherzer works 6 innings and earns 2nd win as Blue Jays beat the Royals 4-2

TORONTO (AP) — Max Scherzer pitched one-run ball for six innings and earned his second win of the season, Bo Bichette added three hits and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Kansas City Royals 4-2 on Saturday.

Davis Schneider hit a two-run single for the AL East-leading Blue Jays, who came in having lost five of six.

Bichette hit an RBI single in the third inning and added base hits in the sixth and eighth. He leads the majors with 137 hits.

Scherzer (2-1) allowed one run and five hits, including a solo homer by Kansas City catcher Salvador Perez. The right-hander walked none and struck out five in picking up his first win since beating the Athletics on July 11.

Perez’s homer was his 20th. He has hit three homers off Scherzer, including his first in the majors in August 2011 against Detroit.

Brendon Little got two outs for Toronto, Seranthony Dominguez retired all four batters he faced and Jeff Hoffman finished for his 26th save in 30 chances.

Royals left-hander Noah Cameron (5-5) allowed four runs and six hits in 6 1/3 innings, losing for the first time since June 27 against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Blue Jays catcher Tyler Heineman was struck in the mask by a foul tip from Kansas City’s John Rave in the third, but stayed in the game and scored from second base on Schneider’s hit in the bottom half. Ali Sanchez replaced Heineman in the fourth. The Blue Jays said Heineman had a head contusion.

Key moment

Schneider opened the scoring with a two-run single in the third and Bichette capped the three-run inning with a two-out hit.

Key stat

Perez has nine 20-homer seasons with Kansas City, breaking George Brett’s franchise record.

Up next

Blue Jays RHP Chris Bassitt (11-5, 4.34 ERA) is scheduled to face Royals RHP Seth Lugo (8-5, 3.03) in Sunday’s series finale.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb