Turner hits 2 home runs, Jansen also connects as Blue Jays beat Royals 6-5

TORONTO (AP) — Justin Turner hit two home runs, Danny Jansen added a solo homer and the Toronto Blue Jays held on to beat the Kansas City Royals 6-5 on Monday night.

Turner hit a two-run home run in the first inning and had a leadoff homer in the third. The homers were his third and fourth. It was the 16th multihomer game of his career.

Jansen also connected in the third, his second.

The Blue Jays scored more than five runs for the first time in 21 games, ending a streak that dated back to a 9-8 loss at Yankee Stadium on April 6.

“The best sign was the quality of contact and the amount of balls we kept off the ground,” Turner said. “We’ve been hitting a lot of hard balls but beating them into the ground and not getting any results. I think tonight was probably our best game of the year of having quality contact. That was good to see.”

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had two hits and drove in a run as Toronto won back-to-back games after losing the previous five.

The Blue Jays won for the first time in 12 games this season when their opponent scores at least five runs.

Royals catcher Salvador Perez was scratched from the starting lineup because of a tight back but delivered a pinch-hit single with two out in the ninth. Dairon Blanco ran for Perez, who hit for DH Nelson Velázquez

“His back tightened up a little bit earlier in the day, but he worked on it throughout the game and he said he was 100% there at the end,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said of Perez.

Toronto’s Nate Pearson struck out Kansas City’s Michael Massey to end it, stranding the tying run at third base.

The save was Pearson’s first of the season. He finished for Toronto on a night that regular closer Jordan Romano and fellow right-hander Yimi Garcia were both unavailable.

“They have power arms throughout,” Quatraro said of Toronto’s deep bullpen. “I mean, Pearson is not a bad option throwing 100 miles per hour coming in in the ninth inning.”

Kyle Isbel homered and drove in two runs but the Royals lost their third straight. Freddy Fermin also homered for Kansas City, his first.

Recalled from Triple-A Omaha to make his second career start, Royals right-hander Jonathan Bowlan (0-1) allowed four runs and six hits in 2 2/3 innings, including three home runs.

“The mistakes got hit at the end of the day,” Bowlan said. “I wasn’t pounding the zone how I would have liked and when you fall behind, stuff like this happens.”

Blue Jays right-hander Yariel Rodríguez allowed three runs and six hits in 3 2/3 innings but left with the bases loaded. Génesis Cabrera came on and retired Vinnie Pasquantino to escape the jam.

Cabrera (1-0) got four outs for the victory.

Isbel’s homer, his third, came off right-hander Trevor Richards in the sixth.

Fermin made it 6-5 with a leadoff homer off righty Erik Swanson in the eighth.

Blue Jays rookie Addison Barger got his first major league hit, a leadoff single in the sixth.

“It looked like a giant weight lifted off his shoulders,” Turner said. “He’s been taking great at-bats. He’s been hitting balls hard all over the place and hadn’t been rewarded yet.”

ROSTER MOVES

Kansas City optioned RHP Will Klein to Triple-A to make room for Bowlan.

UP NEXT

RHP José Berríos (4-1, 1.23 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Blue Jays on Tuesday night against Kansas City LHP Cole Ragans (1-2, 3.90).

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., left, dumps water on Blue Jays designated Hitter Justin Turner, right, after they defeated the Kansas City Royals in baseball game action in Toronto, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Kansas City Royals outfielder Adam Frazier misses a diving catch on a hit by Toronto Blue Jays' George Springer during eighth-inning baseball game action in Toronto, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Cavan Biggio, right, forces out Kansas City Royals' Maikel Garcia, left, at second but cannot turn a double play during ninth-inning baseball game action in Toronto, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Kansas City Royals pitcher Tyler Duffey (21) gets pulled by Royals manager Matt Quatraro (33) as Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino (9) looks on while playing against the Toronto Blue Jays during the fifth inning of baseball game in Toronto on Monday, April 29, 2024. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays' Addison Barger, right, watches his single as Kansas City Royals catcher Freddy Fermin, center, looks on during sixth -inning baseball game action in Toronto, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays' Addison Barger, right, slides past Kansas City Royals catcher Freddy Fermin, left, to score during sixth -inning baseball game action in Toronto, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter Justin Turner, right, celebrates after his solo home run with third base coach Carlos Febles (51) while playing against the Kansas City Royals during third-inning baseball game action in Toronto, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. watches his RBI double against the Kansas City Royals during sixth-inning baseball game action in Toronto, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Kansas City Royals second baseman Michael Massey (19) forces out Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Cavan Biggio (8) at second base, then turns the double play over to first base to out Blue Jays shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Toronto on Monday, April 29, 2024. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hits an RBI double against the Kansas City Royals during sixth-inning baseball game action in Toronto, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays' Danny Jansen hits a solo home run against the Kansas City Royals during third-inning baseball game action in Toronto, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays' Isiah Kiner-Falefa hits a single against the Kansas City Royals during third-inning baseball game action in Toronto, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter Justin Turner, right, celebrates after his solo home run with third base coach Carlos Febles (51) while playing against the Kansas City Royals during third-inning baseball game action in Toronto, Monday, April 29, 2024. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Drexel University in Philadelphia threatened to clear an encampment of pro-Palestinian protesters on Monday as arrests linked to campus demonstrations against the Israel-Hamas war surpassed the 3,000 mark nationwide.

Drexel President John Fry said the encampment had disrupted campus life and “cannot be allowed to remain in place.” Fry called on protesters to leave immediately but said in a statement Monday night that he had authorized “all necessary steps to clear the encampment safely.” He did not say when that might happen.

Classes at Drexel were held virtually on Monday as police kept watch over the demonstration on the school’s Korman Quad. Many Drexel employees were told to work from home.

Students and others have set up tent encampments on campuses around the country to press colleges to cut financial ties with Israel. Tensions over the war have been high on campuses since the fall but demonstrations spread quickly following an April 18 police crackdown on an encampment at Columbia University.

More than 3,000 people have been arrested on U.S. campuses over the past month. Campuses have been calmer recently, with fewer arrests, as students leave for summer break. Still, colleges have been vigilant for disruptions to commencement ceremonies.

At Drexel, which has about 22,000 students, Fry said protesters “have created a hostile, confrontational environment by subjecting passersby to antisemitic speech and by issuing several ‘demands’ that have unacceptably targeted individual members of our faculty and professional staff” as well as Jewish groups on campus. He previously threatened disciplinary action against Drexel students participating in the protest.

The Drexel protesters’ demands ranged from the university administration calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and divesting from companies that do business with Israel, to abolition of the Drexel police department and termination of the school’s chapter of Hillel, the Jewish campus organization, and another Jewish campus group, Chabad.

The Drexel Palestine Coalition had no immediate response to Fry's ultimatum. The protest organizers said on Instagram in response to an earlier statement from Fry that “it is slander to accuse the encampment of ‘hateful’ or ‘intimidating’ actions when we have done neither.” The group accused Drexel and city police of harassment and intimidation. A pro-Palestinian group of faculty and staff also blasted Fry on Monday for shuttering campus facilities and said the encampment was “not disruptive to learning.”

Drexel planned a “phased return” to normal operations on Tuesday, with labs and some other classes to be held in person and lecture classes to stay remote.

Elsewhere, graduate students at the University of California, Santa Cruz, went on strike Monday as part of a rolling, systemwide protest over how administrators have responded to pro-Palestinian encampments, including arrests of protesters at the Los Angeles, San Diego and Irvine campuses.

Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, meanwhile, declined to charge four University of Pennsylvania protesters who were among 19 arrested Friday night, citing a lack of evidence submitted by campus police. Krasner’s office approved misdemeanor charges against three others. The remaining 12 arrested Friday night were given citations for failing to disperse.

Penn's main commencement ceremony was held Monday under tightened security and a ban on flags and signs. There were no disruptions.

But dozens of students walked out of Yale University’s commencement ceremony, some waving Palestinian flags. Yale said in a prepared statement that “a number of graduating students chose to peacefully walk out during the ceremony. University staff helped guide these individuals to an area outside the event space, and the ceremony continued as scheduled.”

Wesleyan University in Connecticut said it had reached agreement with student protesters to review possible divestment, with meetings scheduled for later this month and in the fall. Wesleyan President Michael Roth announced the deal over the weekend and disclosed that 1.7% of Wesleyan’s endowment was invested in aerospace and defense businesses, but that none were directly involved in the manufacture of weapons.

As part of the agreement, Wesleyan protesters cleared their encampment on Monday, according to a school spokesperson.

The Associated Press has recorded at least 82 incidents since April 18 where arrests were made at campus protests across the U.S. At least 3,025 people have been arrested on the campuses of 61 colleges and universities. The figures are based on AP reporting and statements from universities and law enforcement agencies.

The latest Israel-Hamas war began when Hamas and other militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing around 1,200 people and taking an additional 250 hostage. Palestinian militants still hold about 100 captives, while Israel’s military has killed more than 35,000 people in Gaza, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants.

Associated Press reporters Michael Hill in Albany, New York, Janie Har in San Francisco, Dave Collins in Hartford, Connecticut, and Christopher L. Keller in Albuquerque, New Mexico, contributed to this story.

FILE - President Joe Biden speaks on the grounds of Morehouse College and Clark Atlanta University, Jan. 11, 2022, in Atlanta. Biden will deliver the commencement address at Morehouse University Sunday, May 19, 2024, giving the Democrat a key spotlight on one of the nation's preeminent historically Black campuses but potentially exposing him to uncomfortable protests as he seeks reelection against Donald Trump. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)

Pro-Palestinian protesters and Philadelphia police have a standoff along 34th Street at the University of Pennsylvania on Friday, May 17, 2024. Authorities say a half-dozen University of Pennsylvania students were among 19 pro-Palestinian protesters arrested during an attempt to occupy a building on campus. University police say seven remained in custody Saturday awaiting felony charges from Friday's incident, including one person who allegedly assaulted an officer. (Charles Fox/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP)