TORONTO – It was one of those nights for Brandon Morrow.
The right-hander, who can be dominating on the mound, was anything but Tuesday as he allowed 11 hits and six runs in 4 2-3 innings as the Kansas City Royals beat the Toronto Blue Jays 6-4.
Morrow (9-8) allowed solo home runs by Eric Hosmer and Billy Butler as the Royals scored three in the second and three in the fifth.
It wasn’t so much Morrow’s stuff, as where his pitches went and what the hitters did with them.
“Tonight Brandon had good stuff,” Blue Jays manager John Farrell said. “It was a matter of location more than anything.
“They’re a good hitting team – young, athletic, good fastball hitting team. Then when he missed with his location, particularly up out over the plate, they did what they were supposed to do.”
Morrow politely sent word that he would not be talking to the media.
Left-hander Bruce Chen (9-5) equalled his career high with nine strikeouts and the only runs he allowed came when Yunel Escobar hit a three-run homer for the Blue Jays (65-63) after the Royals had built a 6-0 lead.
Jeff Francoeur had his ninth career four-hit game as the Royals (53-76) outhit the Blue Jays 16-6.
Chen held the Blue Jays to four hits, one walk and three runs in 7 2-3 innings.
Joakim Soria pitched the ninth for his 23rd save despite giving up a run on Eric Thames’ double and Adam Lind’s one-out single.
The Blue Jays seemed to be in a daze at the start of the game after a trade earlier Tuesday sent second baseman Aaron Hill and infielder John McDonald to the Arizona Diamondbacks for second baseman Kelly Johnson.
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“Certainly before the game there’s a number of conversations that take place in the clubhouse,” Farrell said. “Both guys have been here quite awhile, both have been extremely well respected, very big character-type players.
“I think anytime you go through a trade there’s some residue, there’s some uncertainty. But once the first pitch is thrown it’s our job to go out and compete and execute as we set out to do.”
Chen didn’t allow a hit until Escobar snapped his 0-for-17 funk with a leadoff single in the fourth. However, that was followed by Thames’s double play grounder.
Escobar put the Blue Jays back in the game when his 11th homer of the season followed singles by Jose Molina and Mike McCoy.
“I didn’t think he was going to hit it out but I left it up out over the plate a little bit,” Chen said.
“Chen was just spectacular tonight, that’s about as good as you can ever expect him to pitch,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “He was just that good. He was spot-on, surgical-like with his command, changed speeds extremely well. Just pitched a great game. Bruce just goes out and wins. He finds ways to win ballgames.”
The Royals pitcher had a simple approach on the mound Tuesday.
“Lot of strikes,” Chen said. “I was pounding the strike zone. I think Salvador (Perez) and I have been getting in more sync. He’s a very good catcher and he’s been working with Brayan Pena about how I like to pitch and the kid is very talented and I’m very fortunate that he’s catching me.”
Chen last struck out nine on June 13, 2001.
“Over 10 years ago?” Chen said. “There you go. I’m not strikeout pitcher but when I’m pounding the strike zone sometimes I’ll get lucky and strike out some people. Today’s one of those days when everything was working.”
Hosmer led off the second inning with his 11th homer of the season, Francoeur doubled and Johnny Giavotella singled. Francoeur scored when centre-fielder Colby Rasmus overran the ball for an error. Giavotella reached second on the play.
Salvador Perez singled to make it 3-0 with none out and Mike Moustakas walked before Morrow ended the inning on a fly out and two strikeouts.
Butler led off the fifth with his 16th homer. Hosmer beat out an infield single and stole second as Francoeur struck out. Giavotella doubled and Perez tripled past a diving Rasmus in right centre and left-hander Wil Ledezma took over from Morrow.
“He’s been really good against us and today it looked like he didn’t have good command of his off-speed stuff,” Butler said. “His fastball was a little up and just hitting too much of the plate. He can be really tough on any given day. I’ve definitely seen him light the radar gun up for eight or nine innings at 95-plus and have a really sharp slider. That’s guy’s got great stuff.”
Right-hander Joel Carreno, just called up from double-A New Hampshire, made his major-league debut when he replaced Ledezma with two out and a runner at first in the sixth inning. He pitched 3 1-3 scoreless innings and used his slider impressively.
Mark Teahen, who has dual Canadian and American citizenship, batted for Rasmus in the ninth because the centre-fielder had jammed his wrist on a couple of fielding plays.
Notes: Attendance at Rogers Centre was 20,009…..First baseman Lind was back in the lineup for Tuesday’s game after missing Sunday’s game in Oakland. Lind had been hit by a pitch on the right wrist in the first inning of Saturday’s game against the Athletics. ….Blue Jays’ closer Frank Francisco was available to pitch on Tuesday after he felt stiffness in his shoulder warming up in the ninth inning of Sunday’s game. … Catcher Brian Jeroloman was called up from triple-A Las Vegas to give the Blue Jays three catchers…Outfielder Travis Snider was having his right wrist checked out at Las Vegas that has kept him out since Aug. 20. …Left-hander Ricky Romero (12-9, 2.73 earned-run average will start Wednesday for the Blue Jays against Luke Hochevar (8-10, 4.83 ERA).
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