TORONTO - Three years ago Saturday, the Kansas City Royals took right-handed pitcher Luke Hochevar with the first overall pick in baseball's draft.

He celebrated the anniversary by earning his first win of the season as the Royals ended a string of eight consecutive losses by defeating the Toronto Blue Jays 6-2 before a crowd of 16,552 at the Rogers Centre.

Hochevar held the Blue Jays to four hits and two runs, both on back-up catcher Raul Chavez's first home run of the season in the third inning, before giving way to Kyle Farnsworth with two out in the seventh inning after an error and Lyle Overbay's double.

Blue Jays starter Scott Richmond of North Vancouver, B.C., (4-3) did not survive Kansas City's five-run fifth in which he allowed Mark Teahen`s two-run home run and Willie Bloomquist`s three-run triple.

"Richmond started out okay, it was just location up and down, I see the problem with him right now," Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston said. "High-ball hitters, you're throwing it up, low-ball hitters you're throwing it down. We've got to get that corrected."

Richmond agreed that the location of his fastball was a little off. "It was good in relief the other day 1/8May 31 3/8," he said. "Today early in the game I was getting away with a few pitches but I was just falling behind batters and the fastball location is a factor."

The Blue Jays (31-27) and the Royals (24-31) play the rubber match of the three-game series Sunday.

It was the first win of the season in three starts for 25-year-old Hochevar (1-2) who was called up from triple-A Omaha for the start. He is 7-15 in the majors.

"He didn't throw too many different pitches, he threw a four-seamer, two-seamer and slider, he just kept the guys off-balance," Gaston said. "He gave up the home run to Chavez and after that pitched great."

"I wasn't trying to do too much," Hochevar said. "I wasn't trying to overthrow, I wasn't trying to make perfect pitches. I was just going out and making pitches and getting out of my own way, just being myself."

Hochevar was asked what felt better, winning Saturday or being drafted first overall three year ago.

"Winning is awesome but also getting the opportunity to play pro ball and put the Kansas City Royals uniform on and get to work is pretty awesome," he said. "Definitely three years ago."

The Blue Jays' first hit of the game was the first home run of the season by Chavez who followed a leadoff walk to Overbay by taking an 0-2 slider over the wall in left.

Teahen tied the game 2-2 in the fifth with his seventh home run of the season, a drive to left centre on a 2-0 fastball that followed Jose Guillen's single to right.

The Royals weren't finished in the fifth. Alberto Callaspo doubled to left on a drive over the head of Adam Lind. Richmond ignited the situation by giving up two-out walks to Mitch Maier and David DeJesus and then a triple by Bloomquist thrust the Royals into a 5-2 lead. Sean Camp replaced Richmond.

A double by Billy Butler and a single by Teahen gave the Royals an eighth-inning run against Jesse Carlson.

Richmond was coming off his first relief appearance of the season, a two-inning stint on May 31 against the Boston Red Sox. He was passed over in the rotation when the Blue Jays had two close off-days in the schedule. Saturday was his first start since a five-inning no decision in which he allowed two earned runs in the Blue Jays' 10-2 loss to the Atlanta Braves on May 24.

"He hasn't been out there for a while so we'll give him a little leeway there," Gaston said. "It could be a factor. I'm not going to make any excuses for him but the fact he hasn't been out there for a while is a little different."

"It makes it tougher but I'm willing to have the challenge," Richmond said. "I've got to work hard in my bullpens and locate my fastball in there so that when I do come into the games I can locate it. I was shaking off a little rust there but I was able to get through the first four innings and just kind of fell behind in that fifth inning. The two walks with two outs are unacceptable and can't happen."

Hochevar was recalled from Omaha to make Saturday's start.

"I learned my lesson," he said of his demotion. "Just get out of my own way and let things happen."

He began the season in Omaha where in his first six starts he was 5-0 with a 0.90 earned-run average. The Royals called him up May 10 and he made two starts going 0-2 with a 10.80 ERA.

He was sent back to Omaha on option on May 23 and allowed three runs, two earned, in six innings on May 28 and last Tuesday pitched just two innings to prepare for his recall to the Royals.

"It's nice to come in and get a win and get things rolling again," Hochevar said.

Notes: John McDonald made his second start of the season Saturday at second base. His other start this season also was at second base, May 14 against the New York Yankees. Aaron Hill who is in a 0-for-25 rut but still led the majors with 77 hits was given the day off. . . . Roy Halladay (9-1, 2.77 earned-run average) will try to become the first 10-game winner in the majors on Sunday when he faces Kyle Davies (2-5, 5.20 ERA). . . . Before Saturday's game, the Royals designated for assignment left-hander Horacio Ramirez who pitched two innings in a 9-3 loss to the Blue Jays on Friday. Ramirez was 0-2 with a 5.96 ERA in 19 appearances, including one start.