Blue Jays offense breaks out in ALCS Game 3 with 6-run inning

TORONTO — When Troy Tulowtizki shot a baseball through the black tarp in the centerfield bleachers and, five batters later, when Josh Donaldson gave the second-deck fans in left field a free baseball, the Blue Jays’ celebratory foghorn bellowed, as it normally does when the home team homers at Rogers Centre.

But you had to be listening for it.

Even such a high-volume tribute barely registered above the roar of another sellout crowd, as the Jays mashed two homers and nine runs in the first three innings, sending Kansas City Royals starter Johnny Cueto on a stroll back to the dugout after recording only six outs.

Toronto, which trails in the American League Championship Series two games to none, strung together three singles, a walk and a hit batter to plate three runs in the second inning before resorting to the long ball in the fourth in taking an early 9-2 lead in support of starting pitcher Marcus Stroman.

The Blue Jays not only led the majors with 891 runs and 232 homers this season but also in binge scoring. Six runs scored in Game 3’s third inning after they had 28 regular-season frames with at least five runs.

GALLERY: BLUE JAYS vs. ROYALS