By Canadian Press

Kansas City Royals edge Toronto Blue Jays 7-6 thanks to five-run inning

Jul 2, 2019 | 1:37 PM

TORONTO — Blue Jays pitcher Aaron Sanchez remains positive that he will find a way out of a two-month slump that has seen him fail to record a victory in his last 12 starts.

Sanchez’s latest outing ended after he faced only 18 batters in a 7-6 loss to the Kansas City Royals at Rogers Centre on Sunday. It was his 10th straight loss, the most by a Toronto starter since Ricky Romero lost 13 decisions in a row in 2012.

He’s now 3-11, and his last victory was a 7-1 decision at home against the Oakland A’s on Apr. 27 to improve his record to 3-1 at that point.

“I have a lot of finding out to do,” the 26-year-old Californian said. “It’s just about going back to the basics and finding who I was in years past. “Obviously, it’s about getting the reps and getting better. There isn’t really nothing else to say. I need to go out there, put in the work, and show up when the game counts. I’m not worried.”

It was three years ago when Sanchez started the 2016 season with an impressive 9-1 run, and he was Blue Jays representative at the all-star game.

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He finished that season with a 15-2 record and won the American League earned run average at 3.00.

Since then, Sanchez has suffered through three pitching-hand ailments, ranging from blisters to a torn fingernail.

Sanchez and Blue Jays pitching coach Pete Walker have tinkered with Sanchez’s delivery in the hopes of finding consistency. The alterations did not work.

Toronto manager Charlie Montoyo felt Sanchez had pitched well in his last outing, even though the No. 2 starter surrendered seven hits and seven runs in 5 1/3 innings against the New York Yankees last Monday.

Sanchez also looked ready to bounce back with his bullpen sessions between starts. But he surrendered six or more runs in his fourth straight game for the first time in his career.

“We were hoping for something better today,” Montoyo said. “It just didn’t happen.

“He still has the stuff to be good. He just struggled today. I still believe in the kid. He has the stuff to get people out.”

The No. 1 problem for Sanchez has been his control. He’s falling behind in too many counts, and he has walked too many opponents. Against Kansas City, he walked four more batters to bring his season total to an America League-worst 52.

He entered the game tied for the worst total at 48 alongside Royals starter Brad Keller (4-9), who got the win on Sunday.

The Blue Jays spotted Sanchez a 5-1 lead with a five-run second inning when they sent eight batters to the plate.

Maile chased home two runs on a triple down the right-field line that Royals outfielder Jorge Soler lost in the sun. Maile touched home plate after Eric Sogard’s single to the left field, and he scored on Justin Smoak’s first of two homers to centre field.

Toronto’s four-run lead was short-lived, however. Sanchez surrendered consecutive walks to Royals shortstop Humberto Arteaga and centre-fielder Whit Merrifield.

Kansas City then clubbed out four singles in a row from Nicky Lopez, Alex Gordon, Dozier, and Soler to score five runs and retake the lead.

Sanchez was knocked out of the game in the fourth inning after giving up his fourth walk and seventh hit, a single to Arteaga.

Sanchez seemed on his game when he escaped the first inning thanks to a double play and struck out the first two Royals batters to begin the second inning. But a walk to first baseman Cheslor Cuthbert proved costly when he was driven in by a double from Kansas City designated hitter Lucas Duda.

“I have to be better,” Sanchez concluded.

Tim Wharnsby, The Canadian Press