KANSAS CITY, Mo – Steven Matz held the Kansas City Royals unbeaten in the sixth inning, and Jonathan Davis and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. won the Toronto Blue Jays 5-1 in their seven-game opener on Saturday.
Matz (3-0) allowed just a couple of walks before Nicky Lopez’s blooper left with one in the sixth. Matz gave up Andrew Benintendi’s double twice later in the half for the only other flaw in an otherwise dominant performance.
Blue Jays had to settle for a split in the nightclub, while the Royals followed the start of veteran Ervin Santana’s spot with four relief players before Salvador Perez’s double homer and save gave them a win. with 3-2.
As for left-hander Matz, he hit five around the two walks and two shots, while allowing Kansas City to hit just five balls from the field before replacing Rafael Dolis for the seventh inning.
“It’s funny to get into a pit at the start of the season, especially when you have a range like that,” said Matz, who has struggled with injuries throughout his six seasons with the Mets. “Was well. I’m just trying to build every start, get a little out of every start and get a little better every time. This is the goal for the future. ”
In addition to a shaky first, Royals’ Mike Minor matched the Matz pitch for the pitch most of the way.
Minor (1-1) withdrew his first two beats before Guerrero and Randal Grichuk hit singles back-to-back and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. drilled a two-run double on the wall. That was all the races until Davis hit his first homer of the year on the left field pole that led to the fifth and Guerrero scored the second homer in the series that led to the sixth.
“Some good defensive games behind me,” Minor said. “I felt that the attack area was a bit tight, so many of the lands we were throwing were not in front. I was turning behind the boys. And then I gave up home. ”
Even if Matz had not allowed a successful game, his pound start would not have been an official off-off, as teams or pitchers must play at least nine innings to qualify. The decision to shorten the double-header games to seven innings each for the 2021 season means that Matz and Blue Jays would have needed at least two extra innings to be counted.
The only one not to hit Blue Jays history is Dave Stieb’s 3-0 victory over the Indians on September 2, 1990.
“I had a good start today. Matz threw the ball well, “said Royals manager Mike Matheny.” He had a good late move – you could say the boys didn’t see the late move. Really discovering, using the back door. “
The Blue Jays certainly enjoyed Matz’s masterful performance after Friday’s rain. Their initial rotation was marred by injuries just three weeks into the season, including a 7-5 loss to Kansas City on Thursday night.
In the night lining, the Blue Jays sent Tommy Milone to the mound against Ervin Santana of the Royals.
Santana, well traveled, had not taken a major league mound since April 24, 2019, with the White Sox. Santana spent the 2013 season with the Royals and started for them for the first time in 2,761 days.