TORONTO - Max Scherzer allowed just one run over six innings and Davis Schneider's early two-run bloop single helped the Toronto Blue Jays to a 4-2 win over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday.
Schneider's one-out hit to centre field scored Myles Straw and Tyler Heineman in the third inning as the Blue Jays (65-47) won for only the second time in seven outings.
Schneider scored on Bo Bichette's single to right three batters later for a three-run advantage. It was the first of Bichette's three singles in the game.
The 41-year-old Scherzer's only blemish was a solo homer to left field by Salvador Perez, his 20th, with two out in the sixth inning.
Scherzer (2-1) yielded five hits with five strikeouts and no walks in his 85-pitch outing before 41,842 at Rogers Centre.
Royals starter Noah Cameron (5-5) lasted 6 1/3 innings, giving up four runs on six hits and a walk with a strikeout.
The Royals (55-56) pulled to within a run in the seventh when Adam Frazier led off with a double and scored on Kyle Isbel's one-out sacrifice bunt to reliever Brendon Little.
The Blue Jays responded with a one-out run-scoring single from Ernie Clement in the bottom of the seventh.
Before Jeff Hoffman picked up his 26th save with a clean ninth inning, reliever Seranthony Dominguez retired the Royals he faced.
Heineman departed after three innings with a head contusion. Toronto's catcher was hit in the mask with a foul ball at the top of the inning and then hit by a pitch in the bottom half.
LEFT STRANDED
Isbel hit a pair of one-out doubles to left field, only to be stranded at third base on both occasions by his Royals teammates.
SPRINGER CLOSE
George Springer (concussion) felt well enough to take batting practice Saturday. He's eligible to return in Colorado against the Rockies on Tuesday.
UP NEXT
Chris Bassitt (11-5) will face Kansas City's Seth Lugo (8-5) in Sunday's series finale with the three-game set at Rogers Centre tied 1-1.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 2, 2025.