Marcum, Blue Jays sweep away slumping Royals

TORONTO (AP) -- These days, the Kansas City Royals can't even keep track of the outs.

Shaun Marcum won for the first time in four starts, Gregg Zaun hit a two-run homer and the Toronto Blue Jays beat Kansas City 7-2 Sunday to complete their first four-game sweep of the Royals.

"We're not very good right now," Royals manager Trey Hillman said. "We haven't been able to put the pitching and the offense together. We haven't been able to make the offensive adjustments."

Toronto outscored the Royals 23-4 in the series and extended Kansas City's losing streak to eight, the Royals' longest since Sept. 17-26, 2006. The Royals have been swept in consecutive four-game series for the first time in team history.

Hillman was especially disappointed his team lost track of outs in the eighth. Reliever Joakim Soria lingered near second base with shortstop Tony Pena and second baseman Mark Grudzielanek after an inning-ending double play before the trio led the team off the field.

"That's very, very disturbing," Hillman said. "That's a lack of focus, a lack of intensity, and that's where we are right now."

Hillman held a pregame meeting and canceled batting practice, but neither measure worked for Kansas City, which has scored 16 runs during its slide -- half in an 11-8 loss at Boston.

"We've got to come together as a team," outfielder David DeJesus said. "It's easy for everyone to start going their own ways, not caring about anything, but we've got to come together. Hopefully, once we get home, we'll come back and start fresh."

Kansas City completed a season-long 11-game trip and headed home to play Minnesota.

"We can't worry about this eight, we've just got to worry about tomorrow," DeJesus said.

Marco Scutaro also homered for the Blue Jays (28-25), who have won five straight and 11 of 14 to move three games above .500 for the first time this season.

"We're playing as a team," Scutaro said. "The pitching is good, we're scoring some runs. That's what it's all about."

Marcum (5-3) gave up two runs -- one earned -- and five hits in 7 1/3 innings, lowering his ERA to 2.64. He struck out six and walked one. The Kansas City, Mo., native is 3-1 with an 1.09 ERA in seven career games against his hometown team.

"I kind of get up for it a little bit but it's more when we're in Kansas City, when I've got all my friends and family there," Marcum said.

Jesse Carlson and Jason Frasor completed the seven-hitter.

Toronto center fielder Alex Rios threw out a runner at home plate for the second straight game. Rios, who erased Jose Guillen on Sunday, retired Alex Gordon trying to come home from second on Mark Teahen's single in the eighth.

Brett Tomko (2-6) allowed seven runs -- six earned -- and eight hits in six innings. He has won once in his past nine starts, his ERA rising to 6.11.

"I'm just making too many mistakes," Tomko said. "I'm getting in the stretch and making mistakes out of the stretch, and just not as consistent as I want to be pitch to pitch."

Toronto took a 4-0 lead in the second on Lyle Overbay's RBI single, Brad Wilkerson's sacrifice fly and Zaun's two-run homer. Rios hit a two-run double in the fifth.

After two batters were by hit by pitches, Teahen grounded into a run-scoring fielder's choice in the sixth, when second baseman Joe Inglett threw wildly for an error on a potential double play. Miguel Olivo followed with a sacrifice fly.

Scutaro homered in the bottom half.

Game notes
Teahen stopped an 0-for-19 slump with a single in the fourth. ... Blue Jays SS David Eckstein (hip flexor) will be activated from the 15-day DL before Tuesday's game at Oakland. ... SS John McDonald (ankle) and OF Vernon Wells (broken wrist) flew to Florida on Monday to begin rehab assignments. ... Inglett left in the eighth with a tight quadriceps and was replaced by Aaron Hill, who was held out of the staring lineup with a sore groin. ... The Blue Jays are 13-1 in day games.