Royals beat Blue Jays in shortened game after umpires stopped tarp from being used

The Royals’ grounds crew descended on the tarp ahead of the top of the sixth inning of Thursday’s game and began rolling it onto the field.

But Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider emerged from the dugout and asked the umpires to delay the rain delay at Kauffman Stadium. And so, the grounds crew pushed the tarp back into its place down the right-field line.

Seconds later, they started bringing it back out when they were stopped again by the umps.

Call it tarpus interruptus.

The grounds crew was given a new task: start spreading “Diamond Dry” on an infield that already had puddles of water in hopes of soaking up the moisture.

But seven minutes later, the umpires regained their sanity, noting the futility of covering puddles in a rain storm. The tarp was brought back and put on the field, despite Schneider’s wishes.

Three hours and 38 minutes later, with more rain headed toward Kansas City, the game was called and the Royals came away with a 2-1 victory. The five-inning win gave the Royals a 3-1 series victory over the Blue Jays.

It was the Royals’ third straight victory and they have a 16-10 record.

“Our pitchers have been doing incredible,” said Royals center fielder Kyle Isbel. “Our offense is doing great. Coming out of here with a series win against a really good team, it’s huge. It’s a good confidence booster going into next week.”

Key moment

The United States Post Office should consider making Royals catcher Salvador Perez an honorary carrier.

“Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds” is often associated with postal workers, but it also applies to Perez.

Perez seemed unbothered by the rain Thursday as he clubbed a two-run homer in the first inning, giving the Royals all the runs they needed in the game.

This was estimated at 404 feet.

That gave Perez 837 career RBIs, which tied him with Mike Sweeney for the fifth-most in Royals history.

Perez has also played in winter conditions. It was in the 2013 when snow forced a Royals-Rays game to be suspended.

Ragans’ first win

Royals starting pitcher Cole Ragans allowed a run on three hits and got his first victory of the season. He admitted the rain made things difficult.

“In the fifth inning it was raining pretty good there, a little harder than the other innings. Just in the stretch, (the) ball’s outside the glove and then the hand’s outside the glove, so it’s kind of getting rained on and the rosin bag’s getting wet. Everything’s wet.

“So it’s just trying to figure out a way to try the hand off and keep everything dry and go from there.”

Missed previous games of the series?

Game 1: Toronto jumps to early lead, wins 5-3

Game 2: Riding new ‘mojo,’ KC tops Jays 3-2

Game 3: Small ball leads Royals past Jays 3-2

What’s next: The Royals will open a six-day road trip Friday in Detroit. Because the NFL Draft is in the Motor City, the Royals-Tigers game Friday will start at 12:10 p.m. Seth Lugo gets the start for the Royals. Reese Olson will be on the mound for the Tigers. The game will air on Bally Sports Kansas City and the MLB Network.