The Blue Jays got exactly what they needed from a bullpen game Tuesday: a win, a shutout, and one big swing from Nathan Lukes.
Toronto blanked the Royals 3-0, with the offense doing just enough and seven pitchers piecing together the kind of night that can feel chaotic in the moment and perfect in the standings afterward. The club has been especially good on bullpen days, and this one fit that pattern.
Spencer Miles handled the first two innings and allowed two hits while striking out one. Brendon Little followed by getting the first two outs of the third, though he also issued two walks, including an intentional one to Bobby Witt.
Chad Dallas then stepped into a high-leverage mess with two outs and the bases loaded and struck out Sal Perez to escape. He wasn’t done there, either, throwing 2.1 more scoreless innings without allowing a baserunner and piling up four strikeouts.
Mason Fluharty worked into the sixth and got the Blue Jays out of that frame before recording the first out of the seventh. Paul Sewald came in with one out and finished the inning with a fly out and a line out.
Tyler Rogers opened the eighth, got the first two outs, then gave up a single and another single that went right through Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s legs. Louis Varland entered with the tying run at the plate and got Jac Caglianone to ground out.
Varland closed it out in the ninth after two outs, a double, and a single, before striking out Isaac Collins to end the game.
The only real damage on offense came in the fourth. George Springer singled, Jesús Sánchez singled, and Lukes launched a three-run homer to right-center, a 390-foot shot that accounted for all of Toronto’s scoring. It was the kind of response Lukes wanted after yesterday.
Toronto finished with six hits and one walk. Sánchez had two hits, while Kirk, Okamoto, Clement and Giménez were all held hitless. Okamoto also drew a walk.
Lukes, Dallas and Sánchez were named Jays of the Day, with Varland earning an honorable mention. Okamoto was the other award selection at minus-0.10 WPA.
Lukes also didn’t seem eager to get the water dumped on him after the game.
The Jays and Royals meet again Wednesday at 7:00 Eastern. Noah Cameron, listed at 8-8 with a 4.02 ERA, will start for the Royals, while Spencer Arrighetti, 7-6 with a 4.73 ERA, goes for Toronto.
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