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Royals-Blue Jays Preview

Apr 19, 2010 - 12:00 AM By MIKE LIPKA STATS Writer

Kansas City (4-7) at Toronto (7-5), 7:07 p.m. EDT

The Toronto Blue Jays' bats have gone quiet after a hot start - resulting in three straight home losses - but they may be glad to see the next opponent to arrive at Rogers Centre.

Right-hander Brian Bannister hopes to help his Kansas City Royals reverse a troubling recent history at Toronto as the teams open a three-game set Monday night.

A productive offense was one reason the Blue Jays (7-6) won five of their first six, but Toronto was held to eight runs and 19 hits while getting swept in a three-game series over the weekend against the Los Angeles Angels.

The club was nearly blanked Sunday, scoring its only run on Adam Lind's home run with two outs in the ninth inning of a 3-1 loss. The Blue Jays had four hits in the game as their team batting average slipped to .223.

Lyle Overbay's struggles have been the worst. The first baseman went 0 for 3 Sunday as his average fell to .080.

"Our offense is good," left-hander Ricky Romero told the Blue Jays' official website. "When those guys get it going, we're going to be good. It was just one of those days where the pitching shut us down."

It may not be much easier if Bannister (0-0, 2.19 ERA) pitches like he did in his first two starts, both against Detroit. The Royals lost both games but Bannister allowed a total of three runs and 10 hits in 12 1-3 innings, leaving with the lead each time before Kansas City's bullpen faltered.

In his only 2009 start against Toronto, Bannister limited the Blue Jays to one hit and one run, although he did walk six in seven innings of a 7-1 home win April 27.

The Royals have been less successful lately at Rogers Centre, where they've been outscored 132-63 while losing 17 of 21.

Kansas City (5-7) salvaged the finale of its series at Minnesota on Sunday, improving to 3-3 on its nine-game road trip with a 10-5 win. Infielder Alberto Callaspo sparked the Royals' attack, going 3 for 5 with a pair of three-run homers.

Callaspo struggled out of the gates as the team's No. 3 hitter, but has hit fifth or sixth in the last five games, going 9 for 23 (.391). He said through an interpreter that he is "starting to find (his) swing and get in a groove."

He isn't the only Royals hitter feeling good at the plate. Scott Podsednik and Jose Guillen each had three hits Sunday, with Podsednik improving his average to .457. Guillen is 14 for 30 (.467) with five homers and nine RBIs in his last seven games.

As a team, Kansas City leads the majors with a .309 average.

"The run production's been nice and it's also been needed because of the inconsistencies out of our bullpen," Royals manager Trey Hillman said.

Toronto's Brandon Morrow (0-1, 12.00) may have a hard time stopping the Royals after his dreadful start. The right-hander, who battled shoulder problems in March after Seattle traded him to the Blue Jays in December, allowed seven runs in four-plus innings of an 11-1 loss to the White Sox on Wednesday.

"We really never got to see him pitch a lot in spring training," Toronto manager Cito Gaston said. "He didn't pitch a lot. He's still kind of having his spring training right now. We'll see."