Royals beat Blue Jays 5-3 to extend win streak to nine games

TORONTO – The Kansas City Royals extended their winning streak to nine games on Tuesday night with a 5-3 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. 

Salvador Perez drove in a go-ahead run with a fifth-inning single off Toronto starter Max Scherzer (1-7). Kansas City (59-74) tacked on two unearned runs in the sixth after a Vladimir Guerrero Jr. throwing error. 

Nathan Lukes halved the deficit with a two-run single in the ninth inning but was thrown out at second base to end the game.

Seth Lugo (6-7) worked five innings for the victory in front of a sellout crowd of 43,245.

The Blue Jays (64-69) started the day two games out of a wild-card spot in the American League standings. Toronto has dropped four of its last six games. 

The Blue Jays put runners in scoring position in four of the first five innings but plated just a single run. Jesus Sanchez hit a sacrifice fly in the opening frame that scored Brett Bateman.

Kansas City second baseman Michael Massey was replaced by Tyler Tolbert in the fifth. Massey was shaken up after hitting his head on the turf while making an off-balance throw to first base. 

In the sixth, Guerrero fielded a bunt by Kyle Isbel but threw wide to the covering Ernie Clement, allowing Nick Loftin to trot home. Carter Jensen made it a three-run game with a sacrifice fly that scored John Rave.

Toronto loaded the bases in the eighth inning but Ernie Clement flew out to end the threat. The Blue Jays were 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position.

Lugo allowed one earned run, six hits and a walk. He had five strikeouts. 

TAKEAWAYS

Blue Jays: Scherzer walked three batters in the opening frame as he battled early control issues. He allowed four hits and two earned runs over a five-inning appearance but issued five bases on balls. Scherzer had four strikeouts.

Royals: Their nine-game streak is the longest active streak in the major leagues. Kansas City’s last nine-game streak was from July 19-28, 2017. 

KEY MOMENT

The Blue Jays nearly added a second run in the first inning after Rave dropped a fly ball near the short wall by the right-field foul line. Toronto unsuccessfully challenged the ruling that it was a foul ball.

KEY STAT

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Despite the loss, Toronto has still won 16 of its last 27 games.

COMING UP

The Blue Jays did not immediately name a starter for a planned bullpen game on Wednesday. 

Right-hander Randy Dobnak (2-1, 1.58) was tabbed to start for the Royals.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 25, 2026.