Cueto rocked for most runs in Royals' playoff history

The Kansas City Royals turned to their hired ace Monday for a shot at pushing the Toronto Blue Jays to the brink of elimination.

Johnny Cueto responded with the worst playoff start in franchise history.

The Royals right-hander was hit hard and often over two-plus innings in Game 3 of the ALCS, allowing six runs on six hits before getting chased from the ballgame with no outs in the third. He walked four and struck out two.

"He couldn't command the ball down," manager Ned Yost told reporters after the Royals' 11-8 loss. "He was up all night long. Just really struggled with his command. Got his pitch count up and just couldn't make an adjustment."

Cueto, who exited to mock cheers after serving up a three-run shot to Troy Tulowitzki, inherited two more runs after leaving when Kevin Pillar doubled in Russell Martin to extend Toronto's lead to 7-2.

BLUE JAYS BAT AROUND

The seven runs surrendered are the most ever by a Royals pitcher in a postseason start, and his 11 baserunners allowed are the most in MLB playoff history in two innings or fewer.

"You kind of hope he can find a way to make an adjustment. He's just up, up, up, up, up. And you're hoping somewhere, at the two-inning mark, you're just hoping that he can make that adjustment. Tonight he just couldn't," Yost said.

Toronto's six-run third matched the total number of runs it scored in the series entering the inning.