Alvarez struggles as Royals beat Blue Jays 9-6

TORONTO – One bad inning brought an end to Henderson Alvarez's two-game winning streak.

Luke Hochevar won for the third time in four starts after leaving the game with a sprained ankle, Eric Hosmer had three RBIs and the Kansas City Royals used a five-run third inning to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 9-6 on Thursday night.

Alvarez (5-7) gave up five runs and eight hits in 5 1-3 innings as Toronto lost for just the ninth time in 14 meetings against Kansas City dating to last season.

"I thought Henderson had quality pitches throughout but there were some base hits that found holes and there were a couple of walks that prolonged the inning," Blue Jays manager John Farrell said.

Catcher J.P. Arencibia hit two home runs for the Blue Jays, the sixth multihomer game of his career.

Alvarez was seeking to match a career high by winning three straight starts, but couldn't make it out of the sixth.

"In the third inning I was pulling my left shoulder to first base so I was getting a little open so the pitches weren't moving as well," Alvarez said through a translator.

All-Star Billy Butler snapped a season-long 0-for-24 hitless streak against Toronto pitching and Yuniesky Betancourt homered as the Royals won for the second time in six games. Salvador Perez tied a career-high with four hits, all singles, and extended his hitting streak to a career-best 11 games. Kansas City finished with a season-high 16 hits.

The Royals opened the scoring with in a five-run, 10-batter third against Alvarez, an inning that started and ended with Jeff Francoeur grounding out to third base.

In between, Alcides Escobar, Hosmer and Butler hit RBI singles. A fourth run scored on Brett Lawrie's throwing error and Mike Moustakas capped the rally with a sacrifice fly.

"We put that big inning together and that was huge for us," Hosmer said. "We capitalized on the mistakes and that's key for us."

Butler's infield single was his first hit against the Blue Jays this season. Lawrie tried to throw Butler out from foul territory behind third base but sent his throw into right field, allowing Escobar to score.

Arencibia cut it to 5-2 in the third when he followed Kelly Johnson's leadoff double with a two-run drive into the second deck in left, his first career homer off his former University of Tennessee batterymate.

"Arencibia's been a thorn in my side the last couple of times I've faced him," Hochevar said. "I've got to figure out a way to get him out."

Toronto's catcher went deep again in the seventh with a one-out solo drive, his 13th homer of the season, off Tim Collins, giving him his third multihomer game of the season.

Kansas City made it 8-3 with a three-run eighth against reliever Francisco Cordero. Alex Gordon had an RBI single and two runs scored on Hosmer's base hit to shallow right, with Jarrod Dyson racing around to score from second when the throw went to first base.

Toronto cut it to 8-6 in the bottom half on Escobar's RBI single and Francisco's triple, but Betancourt led off the ninth with a solo homer off Drew Carpenter, his sixth.

"Tack on runs in the eighth and ninth inning were huge for us, obviously," Yost said.

Hochevar (6-8) gave up two runs and four hits in five innings before leaving with his injury. He sprained his right ankle while covering first base on Colby Rasmus' infield single in the fifth.

"I hit the bag on the inside and just rolled it in," Hochevar said. "It wouldn't have been bad if it wasn't on the inside. When I was pushing off the rubber it extended it and it was biting me pretty good. It's a good thing we have the All-Star break coming up and I've got eight days (of rest)."

Hochevar, who improved to 4-1 in seven career starts against Toronto, stayed in the game and struck out Jose Bautista to finish the inning, but was replaced by Collins in the sixth.

Collins worked 1 1-3 innings and Greg Holland got the last two outs of the seventh. Aaron Crow got two outs in the eighth but gave up Yunel Escobar's RBI single before Jose Mijares came on and surrendered a two-run triple to pinch-hitter Ben Francisco before Kelvin Herrera got J.P. Arencibia to ground out to end the threat.

Jonathan Broxton finished in the ninth for his 21st save.

NOTES: The Blue Jays purchased the contract of RHP Sam Dyson from Double-A New Hampshire. Dyson replaces RHP Scott Richmond, who was optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas on Wednesday. Dyson made his major league debut in the seventh, pitching to two batters. ... Blue Jays RHP Brandon Morrow (strained left oblique) has reached 150 feet while throwing on flat ground. Morrow has been out since June 12, and there is no timetable for his return. ... Toronto released veteran LHP Jamie Moyer after the 49-year-old went 1-1 in two starts at Triple-A.