TORONTO — Kevin Kiermaier hit a tiebreaking solo dwelling run within the seventh inning and the Toronto Blue Jays took benefit of three consecutive wild pitches by Cole Ragans to beat the Royals 5-2 on Sunday, finishing a three-game sweep.

Toronto got here in tied with Seattle within the wild card race, 1 1/2 video games forward of Texas. The Rangers start a four-game collection north of the border on Monday.

“We’ve got great energy right now,” Kiermaier stated after Toronto accomplished its eighth sweep. “We’re clicking at the right time and we just want to keep this thing going.”

The Blue Jays moved a recreation forward of the Mariners within the wild card standings after Seattle misplaced at Tampa Bay.

The main league-worst Royals (44-100) misplaced their fourth straight, giving them 100 losses for the primary time since 2019. Kansas City is the primary large league group to lose 100 video games this season. It was the seventh 100-loss season in group historical past. All have come since 2002.

“If we’ve got to change some things, change some things,” Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. stated. “Do it this last month and try to build going into next year.”

PHOTOS: KC's Ragans throws three straight wild pitches, Blue Jays sweep Royals with 5-2 win

Kiermaier stated he was anticipating an offspeed pitch when he snapped a 2-2 tie with a house run off right-hander Taylor Clarke (2-5), his eighth.

“I was waiting for it and got it right where I wanted,” Kiermaier stated.

Santiago Espinal and Cavan Biggio made it 5-2 with RBI singles off Jackson Kowar within the eighth.

Blue Jays right-hander José Berríos (10-10) allowed two runs and 5 hits in seven innings to snap a five-start winless streak.

Right-hander Yimi García obtained two outs within the eighth and left-hander Génesis Cabrera retired MJ Melendez to strand the tying run at third.

Jordan Romano wrapped it up for his thirty fourth save in 37 probabilities because the Royals left the bases loaded.

Ragans prolonged his scoreless innings streak to 26 with 5 shutout innings to start the sport, however his outing unraveled within the sixth.

“A complete outlier,” Royals supervisor Matt Quatraro stated of Ragans’ unusual sixth. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

The Blue Jays hadn’t put a runner in scoring place till the sixth, when Ragans issued consecutive two-out walks to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Davis Schneider.

Facing hassle for the primary time, Ragans out of the blue misplaced his management and his footing. He slipped and threw wildly to the backstop on his first pitch to Alejandro Kirk as each runners moved up.

“On my lead leg, the bottom of my cleat just caught the dirt,” Ragans stated. “Basically it trips me so then I have no footing to throw the ball.”

Ragans waved off supervisor Matt Quatraro and the coach, then threw one other pitch to the backstop, permitting Guerrero to attain. Ragans slipped once more on his subsequent pitch as Schneider raced dwelling with the tying run.

Ragans had no rationalization for his sudden lack of command.

“I’ve never seen it, never had it happen to me,” he stated. “I don’t know. Just kind of a freak accident.”

Third base umpire and crew chief Jeff Nelson got here to examine the mound after the third wild throw. Ragans was changed after strolling Kirk together with his subsequent pitch. Clarke got here on and retired Whit Merrifield to finish the inning.

“It’s pretty aggravating,” Ragans stated of his wild end. “The guys fought hard to get two runs and then that happens and I give them right back.”

Berríos stated he didn’t have any points with footing on the mound when he went out for the seventh.

“Sometimes when they open the roof and it’s a day game, (the mound) starts getting hard and the holes start getting bigger,” Berríos stated. “Today it was not bad.”

Ragans allowed two runs and one hit in 5 2/3 innings. He walked a career-high six and struck out six.

George Springer’s leadoff single within the third was the one hit off Ragans.

“He dominated the whole entire game and then it just was a little hiccup, I guess,” Witt stated.

Kansas City scored twice off Berríos within the high of the sixth. Kyle Isbel led off with a triple and got here dwelling on Witt’s one-out double. Witt stole third and scored on Salvador Perez’s grounder.

THIS IS 40

Witt’s stolen base within the sixth was his fortieth. It’s the twenty fifth time in Royals historical past {that a} participant has stolen 40 or extra bases. The final to do it was Whit Merrifield in 2021.

BROOM BALL

Kansas City was swept for the thirteenth time.

UP NEXT

Royals: Neither the Royals nor the White Sox had named a starter for Monday’s recreation at Chicago.

Blue Jays: RHP Chris Bassitt (14-7, 3.69 ERA) is scheduled to begin Monday’s opener towards the Rangers. His anticipated opponent is RHP Dane Dunning (9-6, 3.88).

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