Blue Jays' comeback falls short as Royals scratch out victory on Jackie Robinson Day

Royals manager Mike Matheny felt awfully good about the way his team played in a 7-5 win over the Toronto Blue Jays.

All of which left Matheny stumped when he walked into the post-game clubhouse Thursday night.

"There was no music," he said. "I heard people yelling at Brady Singer — I don't know if they've made him the impromptu DJ, but he dropped the ball. I was a little disappointed. I wondered if they didn't think that was a good enough win."

Maybe they're just becoming the norm.

The Royals have won three straight and four of five to take over first place in the AL Central.

Junis (1-0) was charged with two runs on five hits and a walk while pitching into the sixth, but both his runs scored with reliever Jake Newberry on the mound. Kyle Zimmer also gave up a run before Barlow finished things off.

"Any time you're winning ballgames, it's always really fun in the clubhouse," Barlow said. "The team looks really good, you know? Watching the hitters do their thing tonight was really fun. It's been fun to watch."

All players wore No. 42 on Jackie Robinson Day.

Wearing their No. 42 jerseys in honour of the Brooklyn Dodgers great, on-field personnel and others from the organization — approximately 75 in total — gathered around the Jackie Robinson statute at Dodger Stadium to pay their respects.

"It was great," Roberts said. "Any time you can get the players and staff, front office and ownership, with a central thought and moment of recognition for Jackie Robinson Day, I thought it was special. It's something the Dodgers plan on doing every year as far as gathering around Jackie to pay our respects and love of Jackie."

"As a Dodger, it's rewarding to wear No. 42 and bring his name and legacy to life. It's something we're looking forward to," he said.

Guerrero finished a triple shy of the cycle for the Blue Jays. The highlight for them was his two-out homer in the seventh that soared over the fountains in left field and landed an estimated 456 feet from home plate.

It certainly wasn't spot starter Anthony Kay (0-1), who gave up five runs and six hits in 3 1/3 innings.

"I felt like I made a bunch of good pitches," he said. "They were just finding holes, and sometimes that's just how it is."

The Royals had been in an offensive slumber before breaking out against the Angels on Wednesday. A lineup built to drive the ball into the spacious gaps at Kauffman Stadium continued to pile up the extra-base hits Thursday night.

Andrew Benintendi began the scoring with an RBI double before Kay even got an out. Nicky Lopez continued with an RBI triple in the third — then scored on an error by third baseman Cavan Biggio. But the big blow to the Blue Jays came in the fifth, when four of the first six batters that Kansas City sent to the plate dropped doubles into the outfield.

Jorge Soler led off with the 100th double of his career. Hunter Dozier and Hanser Alberto followed with one-out doubles. And Whit Merrifield capped the four-run frame with a two-run double for a 7-0 lead.

Junis' streak of 14 scoreless innings to start the season finally ended in the sixth, when Newberry allowed both of the runners he inherited to score during what became a four-run inning for the Blue Jays.

Toronto got another back on Guerrero's home run before Barlow and the bullpen wrapped things up.

And the music finally got started in the Kansas City clubhouse.

"They picked it up as I was walking out of there," Matheny said with a wry smile. "I don't know what they were playing. I don't know any of those songs."