Jays win in Kansas and complete first triple play since 1979.

Jays v Royals. Game one of four. Jays hoping to rebound from that awful series with the Rays. 2-4 over the last two series in Toronto. Kansas on a seven game losing streak probably hoping to catch Jays on their way to a longer streak. Jays hoping that the Royals will not break their slump with them. Arencibia at least broke out of his hitting slump but remains questionable defensively after the last series. Far too many balls getting away. Thames surely on his way south to Vegas unless he gets going fast. Travis is burning up the Pacific League in Vegas despite his team not playing well. What more does he have to do? Lind hot and cold and Jose still looking for that groove but the opposing managers are not giving him much to hit anyway. I love this stadium, something about those fountains in centrefield. We can but dream in Toronto. Kansas has a very young team and like the Jays building for the future. Could be an interesting series. Lineups: Jays: Same old lineup. Escobar, Johnson, Bautista, Lind, Encarnacion, Thames, Lawrie, Rasmus, Arencibia and Drabek pitching. Royals: Gordon, Betancourt, Hosmer, Butler, Francouer, Moustakas, Quintero, Maier, Escobar, and Luke Hochevar pitching. Top 1st: Escobar leading off. Bounces back to Hochevar throw to first for the out. Johnson, pops it up to Moustakas third base. Bautista with two down. Outside, inside 2-1. Oh come on, hits him on the hip, Jose glaring at Hochevar. Lind, with Jose at first. There goes Jose, and safe on the throw, that would feel good, first stolen base of season. 2-2 count, there goes Jose, Lind takes strike three, how could he do that? Did not even try to protect Jose. Not impressed with Lind. Pitch count 17. Bottom 1st: Gordon leading off, grounds to Escobar, throw to Lind for first out. Betancourt, grounds to Lawrie at third, nice play Brett, throw to Lind two down. Hosmer, ball four. Drabek rushing it here, slow down Kyle. One on two down for Butler. 2-1 count, grounds to Lawrie, throws to second to get Hosmer. 18 pitch inning for Drabek. Top 2nd: Encarnacion, grounds to third, throw to first one down for Thames, 0-2 count, takes strike three, three pitches, awful, two down. Lawrie, full count, strikes out swinging at least. Jays go quietly. Bottom 2nd: Francouer, 1-2 count, strikes out swinging, one down for Moustakas, this is trouble, goes down for this one and lines it into right field bullpen, home run, 1-0 Kansas. Quintero, 2-2 count, nice off speed pitch gets him swinging, two down for Maier, 3-1 count, ball four. One on two down. (Alcides) Escobar, 1-2 count. Strikes out swinging. Strikes out the side but pitch count however is already 41 after two. Not good. Top 3rd: Rasmus leading off, strikes out swinging. Arencibia, full count, strikes out swinging, two down. Jays unable to solve Hochevar first time round at least. Escobar, full count, pops it up to centre but a nine pitch at bat for Yunel. 49 pitch count. Bottom 3rd: Gordon pulls it into right corner, stand up double. Betancourt, 3-0, Drabek rattled here. Ball four, two on and nobody out. Hosmer, 2-2 count, OH WOWEEEEEE lines it at Lind, makes the catch steps on the bag and throws to second to get Gordon diving back too late. He was way off second. TRIPLE PLAY... incredible. Lind grinning all over his face. That should give the Jays a huge boost. 52 pitch count. Sept 21 1979 the last triple play by the Jays. Top 4th: Johnson, full count, outside ball four. Bautista, bounces to short, throw to second gets Johnson but no double play. One on, one down for Lind. Pops it up to centre for the out, two down. Encarnacion, pops it up 63 pitch count. Bottom 4th: Butler, grounds to Escobar, throw to Lind, one down. Francouer, lines to Bautista in right. Moustakas, 3-0 count, ball four, two on. Drabek in trouble again. Quintero, bounces high to Lind, throw to second back to Lind but not in time, two down runner at third. Maier, oh boy ball gets away from Arencibia, run scores easily 2-0 Royals. 2-2 count, strikes out, Drabek has to do it himself. 74 pitch count. Top 5th: Thames, full count, bounces to first, and Thames beats the throw diving head first. There goes the no hitter but it was dubious anyway by hitting Jose in the first. One on for Lawrie, fly ball to centre, one down for Rasmus, 3-0 count, full count, hit and run and Colby hits this one out of the stadium, unfortunately foul ball in right but Colby all over that pitch. Outside ball four. Two on for Arencibia, chance to redeem yourself here JP. Lines it into left centre, here comes Thames 2-1 Royals. Rasmus at second, Escobar, grounds to short, over to second, on to first to get Escobar dawdling down the line. Double play. I wonder if that guy ever runs? With all the speed on this team he looks and runs like a cart horse. 85 pitches. Hochevar was limping as he left the field. This is his first game back since his ankle injury. Bottom 5th: Escobar, strikes out swinging, number five for Drabek. Gordon. 3-0 ball four outside. Royals bullpen working, Collins. One on for Betancourt, perfect grounds to Lawrie, over to second, on to Lind double play helps Drabek out here. 85 pitch count. Top 6th: Yes Hochevar is out of the game, Tim Collins now pitching. Johnson leading off. Lines it to left and makes great catch to rob Kelly Johnson of a double. One down for Bautista. Grounds to short, long throw gets Jose at first, two down for Lind. 2-1 count, grounds to second, throw beats Lind at first. Bottom 6th: Hosmer, lines single to left. Butler, full count, pops it up to Thames in left, one down for Francouer, 3-1 count, low ball four and that is enough for Farrell. Luis Perez now pitching. Drabek has struggled all night but helped by two double plays and that triple play. Moustakas, 0-2 count, strikes out swinging. Two down. Quintero two down two on. Strikes out swinging. Perez is amazing. Top 7th: New pitcher Aaron Crow. Encarnacion leading off. 2-2 count, grounds it up the middle, Escobar throw is wild at first and Edwin safe at first. Thames, full count, there goes Edwin grounds up the middle Escobar tags Edwin and throw to first for the double play. Two down for Lawrie, bounces back to Crow, throw to first for the out. Bottom 7th: Maier 2-2 count, takes strike three, very nice. Escobar, 3-1 count, grounds to Johnson, throw to Lind, two down. Gordon, full count, low ball four. Betancourt. 0-2 count, lines it to Thames in left. Gordon holds at third. Betancourt at first. Two on for Hosmer, 0-2 count, strikes him out looking, what a pitch. Twins have beaten the Rays in Tampa. Good news. Boston lost earlier to the Yankees to ruin the Fenway Park centenary celebrations. Top 8th: Holland now pitching. Rasmus leading off. Colby had a mammoth shot last at bat that but foul. Lines it into right field corner, stand up double. 3-2 count, drives it into right centre, here comes Rasmus to score and tie this game up 2-2. Rajai Davis pinch running for Arencibia. Escobar, 3-0 count, high ball four, two on nobody out. Johnson, 2-0 count, oh wow, balk, and runners move up. 3-0 count. Intentional ball to get to Jose. Bases loaded. And nobody out make em pay Jose. High ball one, 2-0 count, singles to right, here comes Davis 3-2 Jays. Bases still loaded for Lind. That’s it for Holland. Lefty lefty match up. Jose Mijares, grounds back to Mijares, throw home to get Escobar, throw to first not in time. One down and bases loaded remain. Encarnacion, that will do lines it to right, sac fly as Johnson comes in to score, 4-2 Jays two down, two on for Mathis pinch hitting for Thames. Lines it hard to left but right at Gordon. Jays get three to take the lead. Now to hold it. Bottom 8th: Cordero pitching. Butler leading off. 3-1 count, high ball four. Francouer, pops it up to Johnson at second, one down for Moustakas, 2-2 count, nice, strikes him out swinging. Two down for Quintero, 0-2 count, bounces to Lind steps on the bag for third out. Top 9th: Coleman now pitching, Lawrie leading off. Full count, drives this one carries to the wall in centre, almost. One down for Rasmus, full count, gets under this one, fly ball to right, two down for Rajai Davis. 1-2 count, chips it over second into shallow right, one on two down for Escobar. There goes Rajai but pitch out and throw gets him. Bottom 9th: Santos to finish this off. Maier, full count, pops it up to Lawrie, One down for Escobar, lines it to right, stand up double. Gordon, full count, strikes out swinging, two down. Betancourt, Escobar takes third without a throw. 2-1 count. Singles to left here comes Escobar 4-3 Jays. Getz, pinch runner for Betancourt. Hosmer, almighty swing, strike one. There goes Getz, throw not in time, safe at second. Hosmer, 0-2 count, perfect grounds to Johnson, throw to Lind for the last out. Jays win one 4-3 and stop their losing streak. Kansas streak goes to eight and seven at home to start the season. The very good: Has to be the triple play and Lind takes the credit for the play. Arencibia with his bat, two RBIs. The two double plays and triple play in fact made the difference in this game and saved Drabek on all three occasions. The good: Drabek kept them in it although he played with fire all night. Perez who gets the win, was almost perfect four strike outs in 1.2 innings kept Jays close until they scored the three. Have to mention that huge hit by Rasmus that went foul in right, sometime and maybe this season that hit is going into the fifth deck in Toronto. The not so good: Santos gets the save but had the tie run at second.