Kansas City rookie Noah Cameron allowed one run over 6 2/3 strong innings, and Bobby Witt Jr. and Vinnie Pasquantino hit back-to-back homers in the fourth, as the host Kansas City Royals handed the AL East-leading Toronto Blue Jays a fourth straight defeat, 2-1 on Saturday night.
Cameron (9-7) pitched into the seventh inning for a third consecutive outing and recorded the 10th quality start off the left-hander’s first year in the majors. Meanwhile, the Royals (78-77) used the long ball to get to Toronto starter Shane Bieber (3-2), who was cruising until the bottom of the fourth inning.
He didn’t allow a hit until Witt stepped to the plate to open the bottom of the fourth and sent the ball over the center field wall to kick off the night’s scoring. Pasquantino followed by finding the right field bullpen for a 2-0 Royals lead.
Pasquantino has hit safely in 11 straight games.
In his sixth start with Toronto, Bieber gave up only two other hits and a walk through 6 1/3 innings. Following Friday’s 20-1 series-opening defeat, the Blue Jays had a chance to clinch a playoff berth with a win but managed just Daulton Varsho’s home run and three other hits.
Though Toronto (89-66) is on the verge of reaching the postseason, it has totaled three runs during this four-game skid. George Spinger doubled Saturday for the Blue Jays, who had just one at-bat with a runner in scoring position.
Cameron was dealing and allowed just two hits until Varsho went deep to center field with two outs in the seventh for a 2-1 contest. That ended the night for Cameron, who owns a 2.90 ERA over his 23 major league starts.
Witt, meanwhile, finished with half of the Royals’ two hits. Kansas City closer Carlos Estevez allowed a single to Ty France in the ninth but recorded his 41st save.
Kansas City, which plays its final home game of the regular season Sunday, has won consecutive contests for the first time since a three-game run from Sept. 4-6.
