Boston @ Kansas City preview

Last Meeting ( May 17, 2016 ) Boston 4, Kansas City 8

After calming an increasing unrest among a legion of Boston Red Sox fans, ace David Price looks to build on the success of his last start when he faces the host Kansas City Royals on Wednesday in the second game of a day-night doubleheader. The twin bill was necessitated by a rainout of Monday's series opener.

Price has lost only once in six decisions, but his bloated 6.00 ERA is not exactly what the Red Sox had in mind when they inked the left-hander to a seven-year, $217 million deal in the offseason. Boston lost for only the second time in nine games despite another big night from third baseman Travis Shaw, who is 14-for-31 with three homers and 12 RBIs in his last eight games. The Nos. 7-9 hitters in Kansas City's lineup combined for eight hits in Tuesday's 8-4 victory, capped by Paulo Orlando's three-hit, four-RBI night. Edinson Volquez will oppose Price in Game 1 on Wednesday while Royals right-hander Ian Kennedy faces knuckleballer Steven Wright in the opener.

TV: 2:15 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), FSN Kansas City

PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox RH Steven Wright (3-3, 2.36 ERA) vs. Royals RH Ian Kennedy (4-3, 3.25)

Wright was overdue for a clunker and it came in his last outing against Houston on Friday, when he lasted only 4 1/3 innings was tagged for five runs on nine hits -- both season highs. That came on the heels of a complete-game masterpiece at the New York Yankees in which he permitted only three hits and had his shutout bid spoiled with a two-out homer in the ninth. Prior to his last outing, Wright did not allowed more than two runs in his first six starts.

Kennedy, much like Wright, is coming off his worst start when he was pounded for seven runs on three homers over 6 1/3 innings in a loss to the Yankees. The 31-year-old Kennedy has yielded two runs or fewer in five of his first six starts, including seven innings of four-hit ball against Cleveland on May 7. Although he has made his last four starts on the road, Kennedy was solid in both outings at Kauffman Stadium, giving up a combined two runs in 13 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Boston has homered in 17 straight contests, the longest string since the franchise-record 19-game run in 1996.

2. Royals C Salvador Perez will sit out Game 1 of the doubleheader.

3. Red Sox SS Xander Bogaerts has his safely in 11 straight games while 1B Hanley Ramirez is riding an eight-game streak.

PREDICTION: Royals 6, Red Sox 5