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| Litsch, Wilkerson power Blue Jays past Royals TORONTO 6, KANSAS CITY 0 |
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TORONTO (Ticker) -- Jesse Litsch showed that Roy Halladay isn't the only Toronto Blue Jays pitcher that can dominate for nine innings. Litsch threw his first career shutout and Brad Wilkerson hit a grand slam as the Blue Jays blanked the Kansas City Royals, 6-0, on Saturday. Halladay threw his league-leading fifth complete game Friday, giving up one run in a 7-1 Toronto victory. On Saturday, it was Litsch's (6-1) turn, as the righthander scattered seven hits during his 103-pitch outing. The 23-year-old walked one and struck out three, while throwing his first career complete game. "Sinker, cutter, it was all moving good today," Litsch said. "I was able to spot them until the ninth inning, but that happens." Kansas City, which lost its sixth straight game, only had two runners reach third base, but both instances came with two outs in the inning. John Buck doubled and advanced in the fifth and Mark Grudzielanek reached third in the ninth. The only offense Toronto needed came in the first off Kansas City starter Luke Hochevar (3-4). With two outs and a runner on second, Scott Rolen walked and Lyle Overbay singled to load the bases. Wilkerson then took a 3-1 pitch and launched a grand slam to left-center field, giving the Blue Jays an early 4-0 lead. "It was a sinking fastball that got too much in the middle of the plate," Wilkerson said. "He's (Hochevar) a guy that you don't try to do too much, you drive it back up the middle. Especially in that situation and it got a little too much of the plate." Litsch did the rest, retiring nine in a row at one point until Buck's double in the fifth. However, the righthander got Tony Pena and Joey Gathright on groundouts to end the inning. Toronto added a run in the sixth when Gregg Zaun reached on an infield single and Rolen came around to score from second on Kansas City second baseman Grudzielanek's throwing error. Overbay walked with the bases loaded in the seventh to cap the Toronto scoring. Hochevar lasted six innings and gave up five runs - four earned - on six hits and four walks. The righthander struck out four. "Early on, when the wind gets taken out of our sails that puts us in a hole," Hochevar said. "It's tough to come back. I made a mistake and paid for it." Grudzielanek doubled to lead off the ninth but the Royals could not drive him in. With two outs, Litsch retired Billy Butler on a fly ball to right, sealing the sixth shutout defeat of the season for Kansas City. "The schedule doesn't stop, no sense in feeling sorry for ourselves," Royals manager Trey Hillman said. "We haven't played very well. I'm responsible for our record." |
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