Playoffs game blog: Toronto looks to get series even while Cubs look for first win

After scoring just three runs in losing the first two games of the American League Championship Series, the Toronto Blue Jays bats broke out last night. Because of that, the Blue Jays can even the ALCS at 2-2 today with a victory against Kansas City.

Toronto won 11-8 last night as Ryan Goins, Troy Tulowitzki and Josh Donaldson homered. Toronto had 13 hits combined in the first two games and recorded 11 Monday night. The Blue Jays went 5-for-11 with runners in scoring position after going 3-for-23 in the first two games.

Today, 40-year-old knuckleballer R.A. Dickey of the Blue Jays faces 36-year-old right-hander Chris Young of the Royals. They were teammates in Texas in 2003-04 and with the Mets in 2011-12.

Dickey is 3-0 with a 2.73 ERA in his last four starts against K.C. and he went 6-0 with a 1.94 ERA in eight home starts since the All-Star break. Overall in the second half, Dickey was 8-1 with an ERA of 2.80.

Young will become the 10th pitcher in baseball history to go at least nine seasons between playoff starts. Dennis Martinez (16 years) and Bret Saberhagen (10) were the most recent to do so, appearing in the 1995 postseason.

Leading playoff hitters for these teams:
.394 - Alcides Escobar, K.C. (13-for-33)
.355 - Ben Zobrist, K.C. (11-for-31)
.333 - Chris Colabello, Toronto (9-for-27)
.333 - Edwin Encarnacion, Toronto (10-for-30)
.313 - Kevin Pillar, Toronto (10-for-32)

The Chicago Cubs trail the New York Mets 2-0 in the National League Championship Series, which resumes tonight at Wrigley Field.

Mets pitching has held Chicago to three runs and 10 hits with a .159 batting average in the first two games. New York starters Matt Harvey and Noah Syndergaard combined to go 13 1/3 innings, allowing seven hits and three runs with three walks to 18 strikeouts.

Tonight, the Cubs pitch Kyle Hendricks against the Mets' Jacob deGrom. Hendricks has made one postseason appearance, pitching 4 2/3 innings and allowing three runs. In two playoff starts, deGrom is 2-0 with an ERA of 1.38. Over 13 innings, he has allowed two runs with four walks and 20 strikeouts.