Final
Greinke, Royals top Blue Jays
Apr 11, 2007 - 5:36 AM TORONTO (Ticker) -- Zach Greinke is making sure he never has to pitch in the minor leagues again.The righthander pitched six strong innings and rookie Alex Gordon hit his first career home run to lead the Kansas City Royals to a 6-3 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.
Greinke (1-1), the Royals' No. 1 draft pick in 2002, spent most of last season pitching in the minor leagues with Class AA Wichita.
Against the Blue Jays, he showed the form that once made him one of Kansas City's top prospects, allowing one run, six hits and no walks while striking out five.
"I didn't really give them many pitches to hit," said Greinke, who credited his mental approach to the game for the success. "I'm just confident and always take the mentality that you're better then the hitter if you make your pitches. And I just feel like if I do that then I could get guys out and that's my mind-set."
Blue Jays Manager John Gibbons gave credit to the young Royals' starter.
"Greinke was the story tonight, he carved us up pretty good," Gibbons said. "He pitched a great ballgame and then their bullpen did a nice job, too."
Joel Peralta pitched the seventh inning for Kansas City and Joakim Soria recorded the final six outs, including two strikeouts, for his first save of the season.
Gordon's two-run homer came during a four-run sixth inning for Kansas City. It ended a 1-for-24 slump for the highly touted rookie.
"I know (Mike) Sweeney got on and I wanted to stay aggressive," Gordon said. "I got ahead of the count (1-0) and I saw fastball and just did what I could with it."
Tony Pena, Mark Grudzielanek and Mike Sweeney each drove in a run while David DeJesus had three hits and two runs for the Royals.
Toronto's Josh Towers (0-1) allowed six runs - three earned - and 10 hits while striking out six in 5 2/3 innings in his first start of the season. Toronto made three of its four errors behind Towers.
"I think I threw OK," Towers said. "I had some inconsistencies with the control and I couldn't get the leadoff guy out. I think that was the big thing of the day, but it was OK."
Gregg Zaun hit a two-run home run and Alex Rios had two hits and an RBI for the Blue Jays.
"I'm feeling better, a little better than I was feeling in spring training. I'm just going to keep working," said Rios who has now hit safely in all seven games this season.
- AL
FINAL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
KANSAS CITY 1 0 1 0 0 4 0 0 0 6 12 0
TORONTO 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 3 8 4 (FINAL)
BATTERIES: KAN - ZACK GREINKE, JOEL PERALTA (7TH), JOAKIM SORIA (8TH) AND JASON
LARUE
TOR - JOSH TOWERS, SCOTT DOWNS (6TH), SHAUN MARCUM
(8TH) AND JASON PHILLIPS, GREGG ZAUN
Apr 10 9:43 PM - AL
AT TORONTO - SCORING UPDATE
TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY GREGG ZAUN (1) TO RIGHT WITH 1 OUT IN
THE 7TH OFF JOEL PERALTA SCORED AARON HILL.
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 6, TORONTO 3
DUE UP FOR TORONTO: A RIOS (.333, 2-FOR-3, RBI)
Apr 10 9:12 PM - AL
AT TORONTO - SCORING UPDATE
TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY GREGG ZAUN (1) TO RIGHT WITH 1 OUT IN
THE 7TH OFF JOEL PERALTA SCORED AARON HILL.
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 6, TORONTO 3
DUE UP FOR TORONTO: A RIOS (.333, 2-FOR-3, RBI)
Royals vs. Blue JaysApr 10 9:12 PM - AL
AT TORONTO - MID INNING UPDATE
PLAY: G Zaun hit for J Phillips.
SITUATION: 0 RUNS IN, A HILL ON SECOND, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 6
TORONTO 1 BOTTOM, 7TH
DUE UP FOR TORONTO: G Zaun (.211, 0 HR, 4 RBI)
Apr 10 9:11 PM - AL
AT TORONTO - MID INNING UPDATE
PLAY: J Peralta relieved Z Greinke.
SITUATION: 0 RUNS IN, NONE ON, 0 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 6
TORONTO 1 BOTTOM, 7TH
DUE UP FOR TORONTO: A Hill (.320, 0-FOR-2)
Apr 10 9:06 PM - AL
AT TORONTO - PITCHING CHANGE
KAN: JOEL PERALTA (0-0, 1.93) STARTING THE 7TH
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 6, TORONTO 1
DUE UP FOR TORONTO: A HILL (.320, 0-FOR-2)
Apr 10 9:06 PM - AL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
KANSAS CITY 1 0 1 0 0 4 0 6 11 0
TORONTO 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 6 3 (BOT 7)
CURRENT PITCHERS: KAN - ZACK GREINKE
TOR - SCOTT DOWNS
DUE UP FOR TORONTO: A HILL (.320, 0-FOR-2)
J SMITH (.429, 1-FOR-2)
J PHILLIPS (.600, 1-FOR-2)
Apr 10 9:06 PM - AL
AT TORONTO - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY DAVID DEJESUS SCORED TONY PENA JR.
SITUATION: 4 RUNS IN, D DEJESUS ON FIRST, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 6
TORONTO 1 TOP, 6TH
DUE UP FOR KANSAS CITY: M GRUDZIELANEK (.192, 2-FOR-3, RBI)
Royals vs. Blue JaysApr 10 8:49 PM - AL
AT TORONTO - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY ALEX RIOS SCORED JASON SMITH.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, A RIOS ON SECOND, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 2
TORONTO 1 BOTTOM, 5TH
DUE UP FOR TORONTO: L OVERBAY (.241, 0-FOR-2)
Royals vs. Blue JaysApr 10 8:34 PM - AL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
KANSAS CITY 1 0 1 0 2 6 0
TORONTO 0 0 0 0 0 3 2 (TOP 5)
CURRENT PITCHERS: KAN - ZACK GREINKE
TOR - JOSH TOWERS
DUE UP FOR KANSAS CITY: T PENA JR (.231, 0-FOR-1)
D DEJESUS (.379, 2-FOR-2)
M GRUDZIELANEK (.200, 2-FOR-2, RBI)
Apr 10 8:15 PM - AL
AT TORONTO - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY MARK GRUDZIELANEK SCORED DAVID DEJESUS.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, M GRUDZIELANEK ON FIRST, 0 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: KANSAS CITY 2
TORONTO 0 TOP, 3RD
DUE UP FOR KANSAS CITY: M TEAHEN (.263, 0-FOR-1)
Royals vs. Blue JaysApr 10 7:48 PM - AL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
KANSAS CITY 1 1 2 0
TORONTO 0 0 0 (BOT 1)
CURRENT PITCHERS: KAN - ZACK GREINKE
TOR - JOSH TOWERS
DUE UP FOR TORONTO: A RIOS (.296, 0 HR, 2 RBI)
L OVERBAY (.259, 0 HR, 4 RBI)
V WELLS (.333, 2 HR, 6 RBI)
Royals vs. Blue JaysApr 10 7:15 PM
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