• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Blue Jays-Royals Preview

Jul 18, 2010 - 11:30 PM By MIKE LIPKA STATS Writer

Toronto (46-45) at Kansas City (39-51), 8:10 p.m. EDT

Yunel Escobar was struggling through a dismal season in the NL, but the shortstop provided an immediate boost to the Toronto Blue Jays since they acquired him Wednesday.

That's one reason why the Blue Jays will be looking for a fourth consecutive road victory to begin the second half as they open a three-game series with the reeling Kansas City Royals on Monday night.

Escobar was maligned for giving an inconsistent effort in Atlanta, where he batted .238 without a home run in 75 games this year after hitting a career-high 14 last season. But the Blue Jays were thinking about the future when they acquired the promising Cuban from the Braves for veteran Alex Gonzalez.

It certainly seems like a good move after Escobar went 6 for 13 with five RBIs during a three-game weekend sweep at Baltimore. His first homer of the season - Toronto's MLB-leading 140th - and first career grand slam came in Sunday's 10-1 victory.

"A lot of people were asking him about it ... doubting whether he could hit (a home run) or not," said bench coach Nick Levya, who served as Escobar's translator. "He knows he can."

The Blue Jays (47-45) had lost 14 of 18 on the road before beginning a 10-game trip against the Orioles, and they may be able to keep the momentum going in Kansas City.

Baltimore is the only AL team with a home record worse than the Royals, who fell to 18-24 at Kauffman Stadium as Oakland completed a three-game weekend sweep.

Kansas City (39-52) has allowed 48 runs while losing six straight overall. The Royals scored five in the ninth inning Sunday, but it wasn't enough to prevent a 9-6 defeat.

"If our intensity was a little bit greater in the first eight innings we might have won that game," manager Ned Yost. "That's all part of it, developing a mindset that nothing matters to you. It doesn't matter about the heat, about an umpire, who the opposing pitcher is. Your intensity has to be consistent every single day."

Kyle Davies (4-6, 5.57 ERA) hasn't pitched during the Royals' skid, and he'll attempt to steady the staff while making his first start since July 7. The right-hander struggled through an inconsistent first half, but posted a 2.63 ERA in two July outings with Kansas City winning both games.

Davies dropped to 1-2 against Toronto after allowing four runs in six-plus innings of a 4-3 defeat on April 20. Aaron Hill, Vernon Wells and Lyle Overbay have homered off Davies, with Overbay going 5 for 8 with two doubles in the matchup.

Toronto counters with left-hander Brett Cecil, who appears to be in the midst of another hot streak as he faces the Royals for the first time.

Cecil (8-5, 3.97) went 5-0 with a 1.49 ERA from May 19-June 10, but then posted a 9.19 ERA while losing his final three June starts. He has recovered by going 1-0 with a 1.38 ERA in two outings this month, working seven strong innings in an 8-1 win over Minnesota on July 8.

"It was just a matter of going out there and repeating my delivery, figuring out how to get the ball down. ... I feel like I'm back where I need to be," Cecil said.

Toronto dropped three of four in Kansas City last year.