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Burnett rebounds as Blue Jays pound Royals

Apr 10, 2007 - 5:32 AM TORONTO (Ticker) -- A.J. Burnett made up for a poor opening start.

Burnett carried a two-hit shutout into the seventh inning and the Toronto Blue Jays scored four runs in the second and third innings en route to a 9-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals.

Burnett, who signed a five-year, $55 million free agent contract after the 2005 season and missed the first two months of last season with an elbow injury, allowed six runs and walked four in just two innings against Detroit on Wednesday.

"It was a tough first start," Burnett said. "I'm going to bounce back. I'm not the type of guy that's going to sit and pout for five days. I got my work in and had to battle tonight, but I made pitches when I needed too and those guys came out swinging so that helped."

Although a bit wild again, Burnett turned it around against Kansas City. The righthander allowed three hits, walked three and hit two in 6 2/3 frames with five strikeouts. He struck out rookie Alex Gordon with the bases loaded to end the third inning and allowed just one ball out of the infield in the first six innings.

"He's (Burnett) got good stuff," added Gordon who has only one hit through the Royals' first seven games and is now batting just .045 on the season. "He was around the zone a lot and even when he wasn't he got out of it, overall he did a good job out there."

Burnett lost his shutout bid with one out in the seventh, when John Buck deposited a fastball deep into the left field stands for his second home run of the season. The Blue Jays opened the scoring with four runs in the second.

Reed Johnson singled to right field against Kansas City starter Odalis Perez to plate the first run and Lyle Overbay followed by grounding a ball down the right field line. A fan reached out and touched the ball, and the umpires ruled it a ground-rule double but allowed all three runs to score.

"It was big, especially off him (Perez)," Overbay said. "I think I got one hit against him. I knew he was going to throw the slider and he kind of missed his spot and that's what you've got to do, take advantage of the mistakes."

Kansas City manager Buddy Bell argued the call and was ejected by third base umpire Gerry Davis. That also ended the night for Perez, who was tagged for seven hits and four runs in 1 1/2 frames.

"The thing I was upset about was that Gerry (Davis) said the runner was on third base when the fan touched the ball and I didn't quite see it that way," said Bell.

"That (Blue Jays) is a great lineup," Perez said. "If you let the easy outs (get away) then you have to face the tough guys, it is hard."

Vernon Wells added his second homer of the season during a four-run third inning against Jason Standridge, and Aaron Hill had three hits and two RBI for Toronto

"It was good home-opener, a good first game back here," said Wells, who signed a seven-year, $126-million contract in the offseason.

Slow-footed Mike Sweeney had two infield singles for Kansas City, which has not won a series against Toronto in five years.