Carpenter Stifles Royals

Alex Gonzalez and Shannon Stewart homered and Chris Carpenter gave up four hits in seven innings as the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Kansas City Royals, 2-1, on Tuesday night for their fifth consecutive victory.

Jose Offerman’s triple and two doubles accounted for three of the hits against Carpenter (10-7), who won for the fourth time in five decisions. The Blue Jays (72-66) are a season-high six games above .500.

Carpenter (10-7) struck out six and walked three. Paul Quantrill pitched a perfect ninth for his fifth save, completing the five-hitter.

Tim Belcher (12-11), who pitched a three-hitter in a 7-2 victory over Carpenter last Wednesday at Toronto, gave up 10 hits in eight innings. Belcher has given up 30 home runs, second in the AL to Cleveland’s Charles Nagy, who has given up 33.

Darrin Fletcher had three hits for Toronto.

Stewart led off a game with a home run for the first time in his career.

Jeremy Giambi, making his major league debut, walked leading off the sixth, took third on Offerman’s double and scored on Dean Palmer’s sacrifice fly. Offerman went to third on the play, but Carpenter struck out Larry Sutton and got Jeff Conine on a fly ball.