zobrist
Royals second baseman Ben Zobrist (18) celebrates after hitting a two-run home run in the first inning against the Blue Jays. Reuters

The Kansas City Royals pounced early then powered their way to a 14-2 demolition of the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday to move one win away from reaching the World Series for a second consecutive year.

The Royals, with the help of a two-run homer from Ben Zobrist, scored four runs in the first inning then sealed the victory with a four-run seventh to seize a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven American League Championship Series.

Game Five is in Toronto on Wednesday.

The Blue Jays, who were coming off a momentum-building win in Monday's Game Three, sent 40-year-old knuckleballer R.A. Dickey to the mound with hopes of tying the series.

But the former Cy Young Award winner gave up five runs in 1-2/3 innings of work that left Toronto in a 5-0 hole they could not overcome.

(By Steve Keating; editing by Frank Pingue)