Kansas City @ Tampa Bay preview
Tropicana Field
Last Meeting ( Aug 3, 2009 ) Kansas City 4, Tampa Bay 10
The Tampa Bay Rays are not the team you want to be facing right now if you’re in any kind of a slump. So it’s safe to say the Kansas City Royals would rather be travelling to play someone else for a four-game series after losing six of their past 10.
Tampa Bay is off to its best start in franchise history at 16-5 and the club leads the majors in runs scored (131) and batting average with runners in scoring position (.327). Oh yeah – they also happen to lead the league in fewest runs allowed.
So it shouldn’t be much of a shock that the Rays bring a four-game winning streak into Thursday’s meeting with the Royals.
The spike in production comes after a disappointing 2009 season when Tampa Bay struggled with runners in scoring position. The club worked relentlessly at bringing home runners during spring training and it’s paid off with six hitters currently boasting double digits in RBIs.
That’s a problem for Kansas City, which ranks worst in the American League in team ERA right now at 5.12.
Luke Hochevar is the unlucky pitcher who gets to climb the mound for the Royals Thursday. He carries a 3.55 ERA, though Kansas City has managed to win three of his four starts this season.
The right-hander lost his only start against the Rays last year 4-3 despite striking out nine batters in six strong innings.
Hochevar shouldn’t expect much run support this time around against Tampa Bay. Matt Garza brings a sparkling 2.17 ERA to the hill and, like Hochevar, his club has won three of his four starts this season.
A fourth win against the Royals might not come easily, though. They’re just 8-13 but they happen to be the best hitting club in the majors with a .288 average. Scott Podesnik ranks fourth in the bigs with a .365 average and six others are hitting at least .293.
So why all the losses?
Blame it on the bullpen. Kanas City somehow has a losing record this year when leading after six innings. Time and again, the club has watched a strong start be ruined by a shaky reliever.
The Royals blew Tuesday’s game against the Mariners despite a 2-0 lead heading into the eighth and they fell 6-5 on Wednesday thanks to another eighth-inning heartbreaker.
It’s not the stuff you want to carry into a series against a team that went 9-1 against you last season. Then again, it's not the kind of stuff you want to carry into any series.