Three Royals regulars out of starting lineup

TORONTO -- Three of the Royals' regulars -- second baseman Omar Infante, center fielder Lorenzo Cain and catcher Salvador Perez -- weren't in the starting lineup on Saturday against the Blue Jays.

Manager Ned Yost figured on playing Infante, just off the disabled list with a bad back, on alternate days in the four-game series because of Rogers Centre's AstroTurf. But he played the first two games anyway.

"After the first night, he really felt good, but after last night, the wear-and-tear on the carpet is tough," Yost said.

Cain, who gets an occasional day off because of his injury-prone legs, was held out despite his four-RBI, three-hit performance in Friday night's 6-1 victory.

"We've got a lefty [Mark Buehrle] going tomorrow, so that's not possible, so it had to be today. It's always difficult to take out Lorenzo, especially when he's swinging good ... Omar ... Salvy," Yost said. "But this turf is tough on legs, on backs."

Perez often gets a break when a day game follows a night game as it did Saturday. Besides, Yost wanted his big right-handed bat against Buehrle on Sunday.

So Saturday's lineup had Brett Hayes catching, Pedro Ciriaco at second and Jarrod Dyson in center.