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Blue Jays-Royals Preview

Jul 21, 2010 - 6:10 PM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Toronto (48-46) at Kansas City (40-53), 8:10 p.m. EDT

Winning games in Kansas City continues to be a challenge for the Toronto Blue Jays.

After dropping the series opener in extra innings, the Blue Jays look to avoid a fourth straight road loss to the Royals on Tuesday night.

Toronto (47-46) has not won a series in Kansas City since 2003, and is on the verge of dropping another after losing 5-4 in 10 innings Monday. The Blue Jays are 8-14 at Kauffman Stadium since the beginning of the 2004 season.

The Blue Jays opened their 10-game trip by sweeping Baltimore, but after scoring a single run in the top of 10th on Monday, they gave up two runs in the bottom half as Kansas City (40-52) snapped its six-game losing streak.

Toronto had 13 hits, but went 3 for 16 with runners in scoring position. The Blue Jays also had a runner thrown out at third base before another could score on an inning-ending double play instead of a potential sacrifice fly in the fourth.

"We did not deserve to win that ball game," manager Cito Gaston said. "I know sometimes you're not going to get hits to drive in runs, but just run the bases properly and we've got more runs."

The defeat overshadowed another big night from Yunel Escobar, who homered for the second consecutive game. The shortstop has seven RBIs in those two contests, and is 8 for 17 in four games since being acquired in a trade with Atlanta.

Toronto's Jesse Litsch (0-4, 6.54 ERA) takes the ball trying for the seventh time this season to get his first win since September 2008.

The right-hander, who made two starts last year before undergoing season-ending elbow surgery, had a no-hitter after five innings but allowed three runs in the sixth of a 3-2 loss to Boston on July 11. Litsch may need a solid effort Tuesday to remain in the rotation.

"It's just a matter of just going out there and doing my job," Litsch told the Blue Jays' official website. "I can't do anything about what (the team will) do."

He has fared well against Kansas City, going 2-1 with a 1.19 ERA.

Jose Guillen is 7 for 16 against the Blue Jays this season after recording a pair of hits Monday.

Kansas City's .281 batting average leads the majors, but its 4.76 ERA is among the highest. Royals starters have a 7.30 ERA over the last seven games.

Scheduled starter Anthony Lerew (1-3, 7.56) has not helped matters by giving up 14 runs and five homers in 7 2-3 innings spanning his last two starts - both losses. He allowed eight runs, including four homers, in 2 2-3 innings of a 15-5 loss to the White Sox on July 11.

The right-hander is making his first appearance against the Blue Jays.