Kansas City @ Houston preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 9, 2013 ) Houston 0, Kansas City 2

The Houston Astros host the Kansas City Royals for a three-game series beginning Tuesday in a matchup of last-place teams - one a surprise and the other expected. Many believe this could be a breakthrough season for Kansas City after it finished above .500 for the first time since 2003 with 86 victories in 2013.
But while starting pitching is a strength, the Royals' 4-7 start can be traced to a less-than-effective bullpen and a lack of pop on offense that could persist all season.

Houston lost two of three to American League West rival Texas over the weekend for its fourth straight series loss since winning the first two contests of a three-game set against the New York Yankees to start the season. The Astros lost 324 games from 2011-13 and early indications reveal a fourth straight 100-loss season could be in their future. Kansas City's Yordano Ventura makes his fifth career start and will oppose Lucas Harrell, who was roughed up in his first two outings of 2014.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FSN Kansas City, CSN Houston

PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Yordano Ventura (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Astros RH Lucas Harrell (0-2, 11.05)

Kansas City's rotation boasts a 2.71 ERA with eight quality starts in 11 outings with Ventura contributing six shutout innings in a 1-0 loss to Tampa Bay in his season debut April 8. "Ventura was really throwing good fastballs, triple digits at times," Royals manager Ned Yost told reporters of the 22-year-old, pitching for the first time since an exhibition start March 29 because of a rainout. "He threw some good breaking balls, but really had a good changeup working to keep them off balance.''

Harrell's stock seemed to rise after going 11-11 with a 3.76 ERA for a 107-loss team in 2012, but a 6-17, 5.86 campaign followed and it hasn't gotten any better in 2014. The 28-year-old Springfield, Mo., native yielded five runs and seven hits in each of his first two turns with six walks in a combined 7 1/3 innings of losses to the Los Angeles Angels and at Toronto. Harrell is 0-0, 5.23 in two starts against Kansas City, with Omar Infante (5-for-6) being the toughest out in the lineup.

WALK-OFFS

1. Kansas City, which hasn't made the playoffs since winning the 1985 World Series, has hit one home run while scoring an MLB-worst 32 runs - six fewer than Houston.

2. The Astros are hitting .162 with runners in scoring position with the Royals .213 in such situations.

3. Danny Duffy, a starter-turned-reliever, is the only left-hander in the Royals bullpen, which owns a 5.13 ERA.

PREDICTION: Royals 3, Astros 2