TORONTO -- Aaron Sanchez keeps hearing about how he will eventually be put in the bullpen later this season to restrict his innings count and preserve his dynamic young arm.

Meanwhile, the Toronto Blue Jays right-hander keeps pitching as if he intends to stay in the rotation.

The 24-year-old allowed only one run, on a homer by Kendrys Morales. over eight innings Monday night, and the Blue Jays defeated the Kansas City Royals 6-2.

"That decision is out of my hands," said Sanchez (9-1), who has not lost since April 22. "As long as I'm the rotation, I'm going to do what I can control."

After Morales tied the game 1-1 with his 15th home run of the season in the top of the seventh, the Blue Jays struck for five runs in the bottom of the inning. Darwin Barney and Josh Donaldson each hit two-run singles.

"We were just trying to scratch out some runs for Sanch," Barney said. "He was throwing the ball so well. That's a good-hitting club over there, and he held them in check, Hats off to him."

Sanchez allowed three hits and one walk while striking out three.

"For them to give me some breathing room to go back out there for the eighth is always good for a pitcher," he said.

Royals left fielder Alex Gordon said, "Early on, he attacked us with fastballs. We got a lot of fastballs to hit, we just missed them. Give him credit, he was jumping on us a little bit. Later in the game, he started mixing it up well and keeping us off balance."

Eric Hosmer hit his 13th homer of the season for the Royals with two out in the ninth against left-handed reliever Brett Cecil.

Edinson Volquez (7-8) allowed four hits, three walks and four runs in six-plus innings as the Royals (43-39) lost their second game in a row and dropped to 16-28 on the road. The right-hander struck out five and hit a batter.

The Blue Jays (46-39) earned their third consecutive win.

"Both pitchers were really on top of their game," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "(Sanchez) threw the ball extremely well. Good downhill action on a 95-mile-per hour fastball, good curveball. He just threw a great game. Not a lot of opportunities against him tonight."

Blue Jays manager John Gibbons added, "I can't say it's a surprise. He's a big strong, young kid. This is what the organization envisioned when they drafted him; he's always been one of their top prospects. It's just starting to come together for him. He's only going to get better and better."

It was the first time the teams met since the 2015 American League Championship Series, which the Royals took in six games before going on to defeat the New York Mets in the World Series.

Russell Martin opened the bottom of the seventh with a walk, and Troy Tulowitzki singled him to second.

After Kevin Pillar's bunt down the third base line trickled foul, Volquez hit the Blue Jays center fielder with a pitch to load the bases with no outs.

Luke Hochevar replaced Volquez and walked Devon Travis to force in the go-ahead run. Barney followed with a two-run single.

Ezequiel Carrera sacrificed the runners to second and third, and Donaldson hit a two-run single for a 6-1 lead.

"It's a pretty good lineup over there," Volquez said. "You can't make a lot of mistakes. They make you pay, and I did in the seventh inning. That was the whole game."

The Blue Jays scored without a hit in the first inning.

Volquez walked both Carrera and Donaldson before Edwin Encarnacion's grounder to third forced Donaldson at second and moved Carrera to third. Carrera scored when Michael Saunders grounded out to shortstop.

Encarnacion led off the bottom of the fourth with the first hit of the game by either team. Tulowitzki and Pillar singled with two out, but Encarnacion was thrown out at home by Gordon on Pillar's hit.

NOTES: Toronto RHP Marco Estrada (sore back) had an MRI exam Sunday that showed no significant change in his back, then had an injection Monday. He is expected to make his scheduled start on Thursday. Back pain limited Estrada's start Saturday against Cleveland to five innings. If Estrada is unable to pitch Thursday, RHP Drew Hutchison is the first choice to replace him. Hutchison was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo to fortify the bullpen after the 19-inning loss to Cleveland on Friday. ... Royals RHP Yordano Ventura (right ankle sprain), who was forced from his loss to the Philadelphia Phillies in the third inning Sunday, said his ankle had improved. The possibility remains that he could start as scheduled on Friday. ... Royals RHP Chris Young (2-7, 6.24 ERA) will face Blue Jays RHP R.A. Dickey (5-9, 4.21) Tuesday in the middle contest of the three-game series.