Kansas City @ Chicago preview
Guaranteed Rate Field
Last Meeting ( May 3, 2010 ) Kansas City 1, Chi. White Sox 5
Gavin Floyd likes pitching at U.S. Cellular Field, which is the good news for the Chicago White Sox.
However, he doesn't like pitching against the Kansas City Royals, which is the bad news for the South Siders.
Conflicting trends will collide Tuesday night when the White Sox host the Royals in the second of a three-game series.
The 27-year-old right-hander has pitched the best ball of his young career in home games, where he is 16-9 record with a 3.65 ERA. That includes a no-decision and a loss this season.
Floyd's numbers against the Royals could buck that trend.
He's 1-5 with a 4.84 ERA versus Kansas City in his career. Floyd started three times against the Royals last season, going 0-2 with a no-decision. His last win against Kansas City came on June 3, 2008 at home. Floyd lost his last two starts that season, meaning he has a five-start winless streak against the Royals.
Floyd is coming off his best outing of the season. He held the Texas Rangers to three runs - one earned - and five hits in seven innings Thursday. Floyd struck out five, didn't walk a batter and got stronger as the game went along.
Meanwhile, Luke Hochevar's last start wasn't as pretty. The Royals right-hander was roughed up for nine runs and 11 hits in 2 2/3 innings in a loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday. The outing raised his ERA from a respectable 3.55 to a hefty 6.11.
Hochevar's numbers against the White Sox will be another trend to watch. He was 2-0 with a 1.40 ERA versus the White Sox last season, including a three-hit shutout in an 11-0 win on Sept. 18 in Chicago.
The White Sox took the series opener, 5-1 on Monday night behind seven shutout innings from Jake Peavy. Alex Rios had three hits and drove in two runs while Andruw Jones also had two RBIs.
Chicago was also without right fielder Carlos Quentin, who has a sore hamstring. His lack of production in the middle of the lineup is a big reason why the White Sox have struggled to score runs. Although Quentin is second on the team with 17 RBIs, he's batting .173.
The Royals managed six hits on Monday with their only run coming as former White Sox star Scott Podsednik hit a solo homer in the ninth.
Kansas City has been playing without center fielder Rick Ankiel, who has a pulled quad. He hasn't started a game since suffering the injury on April 24. Ankiel pinch-hit Saturday and Sunday against Tampa Bay, striking out in both at-bats.