Chicago @ Kansas City preview

Last Meeting ( May 5, 2013 ) Chi. White Sox 5, Kansas City 6

Chris Sale will step in for injured Jake Peavy on Monday as the Chicago White Sox attempt to salvage the finale of a three-game series against the host Kansas City Royals. Peavy was scratched due to back issues and Sale will take his place on his regular four days’ rest. The series is concluding Monday because of Friday’s postponement due to inclement weather. Sale faces James Shields, whom he beat 1-0 in the season-opening game.

Kansas City has won the first two games of the series and four straight overall. The Sunday victory was an improbable 6-5, 10-inning affair in which the Royals staved off defeat when Billy Butler rapped a tying two-run double with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. Alex Gordon singled in the winner in the 10th for the club’s 11th come-from-behind victory. The meltdown snapped a string of 17 consecutive converted saves dating to last season for White Sox closer Addison Reed. “I was all over the place. I was missing spots big time,” Reed said afterward. “The 3-2 pitch to Butler was a hanging slider, a terrible pitch. I hung it and he made me pay for it.”

TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, Comcast SportsNet Chicago, Fox Sports Kansas City

PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox LH Chris Sale (3-2, 3.83 ERA) vs. Royals RH James Shields (2-2, 3.00)

Sale has won back-to-back outings and gave up two runs in seven innings in each of them. He has allowed six earned runs and 14 hits over his last three starts to bounce back from a dreadful 4 1/3-inning stint against Cleveland in which he gave up eight runs and eight hits. Sale allowed seven hits in 7 2/3 innings in the opener against the Royals. He is 5-5 with a 2.74 ERA in 18 career appearances (seven starts) against Kansas City.

Shields defeated Tampa Bay – his former club – in his last outing. He allowed two runs and five hits and struck out seven in seven innings while retiring the final 13 hitters he faced. Shields gave up one run and eight hits in six innings in the season-opening loss to the White Sox. He is 3-4 with a 4.52 ERA in 12 career starts against Chicago.

WALK-OFFS

1. Kansas City has won seven of its last eight home games against the White Sox.

2. Royals SS Alcides Escobar is 12-for-27 against Sale and Butler is 8-for-25 with three homers.

3. Chicago SS Alexei Ramirez is 11-for-26 with two homers against Shields while sluggers Adam Dunn (1-for-13) and Paul Konerko (4-for-28) struggle against him.

PREDICTION: Royals 2, White Sox 1