Royals rough up Romero, clobber Jays

TORONTO—Describing his recent struggles on the mound, Blue Jays ace Ricky Romero says he feels like he’s in quicksand.
Romero (8-3) gave up 11 hits, three walks and eight runs in six-plus innings as the Kansas City Royals defeated Toronto 11-3 yesterday.

“Every time you just keep getting deeper and deeper and don’t know how to get out of it,” the left-hander said after taking his second successive drubbing.
“You’ve got to keep mentally strong. I’m going to continue to stay positive and get through this,” he stressed.
Salvador Perez hit a two-run homer against Romero and Mike Moustakas had an RBI double against Romero in the third.
Moustakas finished with five RBIs after hitting his first career grand slam against reliever David Pauley in the five-run seventh.
Jose Bautista and Colby Rasmus had solo home runs against Royals’ left-hander Everett Teaford (1-1) who held the Blue Jays to five hits and two walks in his second start since being recalled from triple-A Omaha on June 27.
The Royals (36-42) snapped a three-game losing string and the Blue Jays (40-40) lost their second straight.
Romero had his earned-run average swell to 5.35 as he lost for the first time at home after five wins.
He allowed eight earned runs for the second start in a row and has allowed at least four earned runs in each of his past four starts and in seven of his past 11.
Elsewhere in the AL yesterday, the LA Angels shutout Cleveland 3-0, Minnesota defeated Detroit 6-4, Tampa Bay edged the NY Yankees 4-3, Oakland upended Boston 6-1, and Seattle doubled up Baltimore 6-3.
Over in the NL yesterday, St. Louis downed Colorado 9-3, Pittsburgh routed Houston 11-2, the Chicago Cubs defeated Atlanta 4-1, Milwaukee edged Miami 6-5, San Diego upended Arizona 6-2, and Cincinatti dispatched the LA Dodgers 8-2.