Kansas City @ Cleveland preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 19, 2010 ) Cleveland 4, Kansas City 6

It may not be a pennant at stake, but the Kansas City Royals and Cleveland Indians still have plenty to play for over the next four days.

The Royals and Indians kick off a four-game series at Progressive Field on Thursday night with hopes of putting some room between both each other and last place in the American League Central.

Last season, Kansas City and Cleveland finished with identical 65-97 records, tying for fourth place in the division. This year, the clubs are hoping they can avoid a repeat performance.

Cleveland has not finished alone in last in the AL Central since the division was formed prior to the 1994 season. Kansas City, meanwhile, occupied the cellar for four straight seasons from 2004-07 before finishing a game better than the Detroit Tigers in 2008.

The Indians enter the four-game set having lost four consecutive contests following a three-game winning streak. Cleveland managed just one run in seven innings against Minnesota's Nick Blackburn en route to a 5-1 loss Wednesday and the completion of a three-game sweep for the Twins. The Indians were outscored 20-8 in the series.

Kansas City last dropped two of its last three games and four of six. The Royals lost a 4-2 decision to the Tigers on Wednesday as Billy Butler prevented the club from being shut out by belting a two-out, two-run homer in the ninth inning.

Cleveland, which needs one more victory to avoid its first 100-loss season since it went 57-105 in 1991, will send Mitch Talbot to the mound.

Talbot will be making his first start since September 12, when he left after throwing just 14 pitches due to inflammation in his right shoulder. Before exiting, he surrendered three runs and two hits in the 6-2 loss to Minnesota.

The 26-year old has lost six of his last seven decisions, winning just once in 11 starts since June 27.

Talbot is 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA in two career starts against the Royals, both this season. He was tagged for six runs and eight hits in six innings of a 9-3 loss on May 20, then settled for a no-decision in a 7-3 triumph at Kansas City on August 19 after giving up three runs, two earned, and eight hits over 4 2/3 frames.

In 15 starts at home this year, Talbot has gone 3-8 with a 6.37 ERA.

Getting the call for the Royals will be Sean O'Sullivan, who still is looking for his first win with the team as a starter.

Acquired from the Los Angeles Angels on July 22, O'Sullivan is 1-6 with a 7.69 ERA in 11 games, picking up his lone victory in his only relief appearance. In 10 starts, he has gone 0-6 with a 7.84 ERA.

O'Sullivan has been especially brutal over his last five outings, posting an 0-2 record while allowing 24 earned runs over 23 2/3 innings for a 9.13 ERA. The right-hander faced Cleveland for the first time in his career on Saturday, surrendering five runs and six hits in four frames of a 6-4 loss.

The 23-year old O'Sullivan has posted an 0-4 record and 7.76 ERA in six road starts with Kansas City, yielding 27 earned runs in 31 1/3 innings.