KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Alejandro Kirk, Ernie Clement and George Springer drove in two runs apiece to lead the Toronto Blue Jays to a 9-2 win over the Kansas City Royals on Friday night. Blue Jays starter Jameson Taillon was making his first appearance since Aug. 10, when he was placed on the injured list with right forearm tendinitis. The 34-year-old right-hander left the game due to right elbow discomfort after allowing one run on two hits in two innings. Kirk and Clement each had a double among their two hits as the defending American League champion Blue Jays (71-71) got back to .500 for the first time since they were 39-39 on June 22. They were 10 games under .500 on July 28. Toronto has won six of its last seven games. The Jays remain one game back of the Cleveland Guardians for the third and final wild-card berth in the American League. The Guardians swept a doubleheader against the visiting Detroit Tigers on Friday. The Royals dropped nine games back of the final wild-card spot. The Texas Rangers lost 7-6 to the visiting Tampa Bay Rays on Friday and are two games back of the Guardians, while the Baltimore Orioles fell three back of the final playoff spot with a 1-0 loss to the visiting Boston Red Sox. Joe Mantiply (2-0), picked up the victory as one of four relievers for the Blue Jays who limited Kansas City to one run on four hits in seven innings. Michael Lorenzen worked the final three innings and earned his first save. Royals starter Daniel Lynch IV (4-5) struggled early before retiring the final nine batters he faced. He allowed five runs on seven hits in five innings. He walked one batter. The Blue Jays struck early, scoring four runs in the first inning. Kirk and Kazuma Okamoto had RBI singles before Clement drove in two runs with a double. The Royals got a run back in the bottom of the first on Bobby Witt Jr.’s 17th home run. Kirk had an RBI double in the second, giving the Blue Jays another four-run lead. The Blue Jays struck again in the sixth. Myles Straw dropped a sacrifice bunt that scored Clement. Springer then hit a two-RBI double to the gap in right-centre. Each team added a solo homer in the ninth inning. Sean Keys hit his second of the season for Toronto. Vinnie Pasquantino hit his 10th for Kansas City. UP NEXT Blue Jays RHP Max Scherzer (2-7, 6.16 ERA) will face Royals RHP Seth Lugo (6-8, 5.03) on Saturday. ___ David Smale, The Associated Press
