Kansas City @ San Diego preview

Last Meeting ( May 6, 2014 ) Kansas City 3, San Diego 1

The Kansas City Royals finally ended their season-high, five-game losing streak with a strong pitching effort and some clutch hitting. The Royals look to build off that balanced performance when they send ace James Shields to the mound in the rubber match of a three-game series at the San Diego Padres on Wednesday afternoon. Kansas City had given up 39 runs during the skid before grinding out a 3-1 victory in 11 innings Tuesday as slumping Alex Gordon provided the winning hit.

Gordon had two hits in his previous 27 at-bats before his RBI single put the Royals ahead for good and washed away some of the sting from losing three leads in the series opener. The Padres are showing signs of turning things around and can win their second interleague series in three tries. Yasmani Grandal has led the way for San Diego of late with three homers and six RBIs in his last five games.

TV: 3:40 p.m. ET; FSN Kansas City, FSN San Diego

PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH James Shields (3-3, 3.11 ERA) vs. Padres RH Andrew Cashner (2-4, 2.72)

Shields was rolling along with five straight starts in which he allowed two or fewer earned runs before Detroit touched him up for eight runs (seven earned) in 6 1/3 innings last Friday. The California native has struck out 44 and walked 10 in 46 1/3 innings. Will Venable is 1-for-3 with a homer against Shields, who gave up four runs over seven innings in his only career outing against San Diego.

Cashner has gone at least six innings in all seven starts and allowed two or fewer runs in five of them, including last Friday's outing against Atlanta (two). The 27-year-old Texan lost his last three starts as the Padres produced only three runs combined for him. Cashner faces the Royals for the first time, but Norichika Aoki went 2-for-5 against him while with Milwaukee.

WALK-OFFS

1. Royals 1B Eric Hosmer boasts 13 doubles, one shy of the major-league lead.

2. San Diego 3B Chase Headley (right calf strain) began his rehabilitation stint in the minors Monday and could return to the Padres this weekend.

3. Kansas City SS Alcides Escobar is 4-for-10 with four stolen bases in the series.

PREDICTION: Royals 4, Padres 1