Toronto, Canada: Toronto pitcher Marco Estrada allowed only one hit over 7 2/3 innings as the Blue Jays beat Kansas City 7-1 Wednesday to stay alive in the Major League Baseball playoffs.
The Royals remain ahead 3-2 in the best-of-seven American League Championship Series, which returns to Kansas City for game six Friday.
Either the Royals or Blue Jays will face the National League champion, the New York Mets or Chicago Cubs, in the World Series final that opens Tuesday.
Estrada faced only the minimum number of batters over the first 6 2/3 innings as the 32-year-old Mexican right-hander baffled a Royals lineup that produced 14 runs one night earlier.
Kansas City's only early hit came when Alcides Escobar singled to left field in the fourth inning but Ben Zobrist followed by grounding into a double play.
The Royals did not manage another hit until Salvador Perez smacked a solo homer in the eighth inning but by then it was too little and too late.
Chris Colabello belted a solo homer in the second inning off Royals' Dominican right-handed starting pitcher Edinson Volquez that put Toronto ahead 1-0.
The Blue Jays loaded the bases with no outs in the seventh inning with Ben Revere walked, Josh Donaldson was hit by a pitch and Jose Bautista walked, bringing Dominican designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion to the plate.
Volquez walked countryman Encarnacion to give the Blue Jays a 2-0 lead and the Royals removed him for relief pitcher Kelvin Herrera, who promptly struck out Colabello.
But Troy Tulowitzki responded with a double off the centerfield wall that brought in three runs and gave Toronto a 5-0 advantage.
In the seventh, Donaldson doubled with two outs off Royals reliever Danny Duffy and then scored on Bautista's double off the centerfield wall to give the Blue Jays a 6-0 lead.
After Perez ended the shutout bid, the Blue Jays added a final run in the eighth when Tulowitzki singled and scored on a double by Kevin Pillar, who was thrown out at third base on the play to end the inning.
Toronto's 20-year-old closing reliever Roberto Osuna retired the final three Kansas City batters in the ninth to complete the triumph.
AFP
