Blue Jays 2 - 3 Royals
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Blue Jays pay a visit to Kansas City

Jun 6, 2011 - 2:29 PM

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(Sports Network) - Dominican right-hander Felipe Paulino gets his second 2011 start tonight when the pitching-ravaged Kansas City Royals host the Toronto Blue Jays in the opening test of a four-game series at Kauffman Stadium.

Paulino opened the season with 18 consecutive bullpen appearances with the National League's Colorado Rockies, then came to Kansas City on May 26 when his contract was purchased by the Royals.

He's made two appearances with his new AL team, tossing a combined 9 1/3 scoreless innings while allowing five hits, walking none and striking out seven in no-decisions against Texas and the Los Angeles Angels.

The Royals have won both games he started.

Three of the team's five regular starters are on the disabled list, including Sean O'Sullivan (biceps tendinitis), Kyle Davies (rotator cuff inflammation) and Bruce Chen (left lat strain).

Kansas City has lost four straight including Sunday, when Brian Duensing tossed eight shutout innings to lead the Minnesota Twins to a 6-0 victory that completed a series sweep.

Jeff Francis (2-6) gave up four runs - only one earned - in seven innings to take the loss, the Royals' seventh in their last nine games.

On Sunday in Baltimore, Adam Lind went 4-for-4 with a pair of solo homers and three RBI, as the Blue Jays took down the Orioles, 7-4, in the rubber match of a three-game series. Yunel Escobar hit a three-run homer for Toronto, which had lost three of four coming into Sunday's game.

Jo-Jo Reyes (2-4) gave up three runs on five hits over 6 1/3 innings to pick up his second straight win since going 28 games without a victory. Coming off his first career complete game against the Indians on May 30, Reyes walked four and struck out three.

Right-hander Brandon Morrow starts for Toronto in search of a first win since May 15. In that game, at Minnesota, he allowed three runs on five hits in five innings of an 11-3 triumph.

In three starts since, he's 0-1 with two no-decisions while giving up 22 hits and 11 runs in 18 innings.

He's 2-3 lifetime against Kansas City with a save and a 5.51 earned run average in 16 1/3 innings.

Kansas City split its six games with the Jays a year ago.






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