Bullpen gives up Cueto's lead, Royals lose 7-6 to Blue Jays in 11
TORONTO -- Johnny Cueto got the job done in his Kansas City debut. For once, the vaunted Royals bullpen couldn't finish the job.
Josh Donaldson singled home Troy Tulowitzki in the 11th inning, and the new-look Blue Jays rallied to beat Kansas City 7-6 on Friday night and hand Cueto a no-decision.
Kansas City outfielder Lorenzo Cain said Cueto was "locked in."
"He did a great job his first start here," Cain said. "Unfortunately, we didn't hold the lead there at the end."
Cueto, who was acquired in a trade with Cincinnati that sent three minor league pitchers to the Reds, gave up three runs and seven hits in six innings. The right-hander struck out seven and walked two.
"I thought I threw the ball pretty good," Cueto said through a translator.
Troy Tulowitzki started the winning sequence for Toronto with a one-out single in the 11th. He advanced on a balk by Franklin Morales (3-1).
Royals manager Ned Yost said he didn't agree with the call by home-plate umpire Angel Hernandez.
"You can't argue a balk, so I didn't go out there and find out, but it wasn't a balk," Yost said.
Donaldson followed with a single to left-center, giving Toronto its third straight win and sending the AL champion Royals to their third consecutive loss.
"He left me a pitch over the middle of the plate, what I was kind of waiting for the entire time," Donaldson said. "I didn't miss it."
Donaldson, mobbed at first base after his winning hit, went 3 for 4 with a walk and four RBIs. Liam Hendriks (3-0) pitched one inning for the win.
Toronto, who traded for Tulowitzki and reliever LaTroy Hawkins from Colorado and left-hander David Price from Detroit earlier this week, stayed busy by adding right-hander Mark Lowe from Seattle and outfielder Ben Revere from Philadelphia ahead of Friday's trade deadline.
"This organization definitely put their best foot forward at the trade deadline, and you've got to love seeing that," Price said in a postgame press conference.
Price was delayed by a flat tire on his way to Toronto, scuttling plans for an afternoon press conference. The left-hander said he was on Interstate 94 near Chesterfield, Michigan, when his right rear tire blew.
"I got the extra tire put on and the guy was like, 'Where are you headed?'" Price said. "I was like, 'I'm going to Toronto,' and he was like, 'You can't make it there on this tire.' I went to Discount Tires, they didn't have a tire to fit my back tire and then I just had to sit in a Target parking lot and wait for the tow truck to come and wait for my ride to arrive."
Kansas City took a 3-0 lead off Drew Hutchison in the first on Kendrys Morales' RBI double and Ben Zobrist's two-run single. Morales managed to evade Russell Martin's tag at home plate, stepping over the fallen catcher.
Donaldson hit a two-run double in the third and Toronto tied it in the fourth on Kevin Pillar's RBI single.
Kansas City went ahead 5-3 in the fifth. Hutchison left after Cain's leadoff single and Aaron Loup came on to face Eric Hosmer, who hit a slow grounder to third. Donaldson's errant throw to first went down the right-field line, allowing Cain to score and advancing Hosmer to third. He scored on Morales' sacrifice fly off Bo Schultz.
ROTATION SHUFFLE
The Royals are moving RHP Chris Young from the rotation to the bullpen and will use Monday's off day to skip the fifth starter's spot. RHP Jeremy Guthrie, who has lost back-to-back starts, allowing 11 earned runs in 12 1/3 innings, will keep his spot in the rotation. Yost said the Royals would continue to evaluate the rotation from week to week.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Royals: RHP Wade Davis (back) was unavailable. Yost said Davis is day to day.
Blue Jays: INF Edwin Encarnacion (left middle finger) returned to the lineup at DH after missing the previous two games. ... 2B Devon Travis (left shoulder) was placed on the 15-day disabled list to make room for Price.
UP NEXT
Royals: RHP Yordano Ventura (5-7, 4.86 ERA) tries to win back-to-back starts for the first time since his opening two outings of the season when he faces the Blue Jays for the first time this year. After a one-day demotion to Triple A, Ventura beat Houston in his most recent start, allowing one run and six hits in seven innings.
Blue Jays: LHP Mark Buehrle (11-5, 3.29 ERA) had worked at least six innings and allowed two runs or fewer in nine straight starts before giving up three runs over 5 2/3 innings in Sunday's loss at Seattle. He is 26-12 with a 3.53 ERA in 53 career starts against the Royals.
