Baltimore @ Kansas City preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 27, 2014 ) Kansas City 9, Baltimore 3

The Kansas City Royals continue their nine-game homestand when they host the Baltimore Orioles for four contests beginning Thursday, and one of their big bats may finally be waking up. Mike Moustakas had a pair of doubles - one of which drove in three runs in Kansas City's 3-2 victory over Colorado on Wednesday - to raise his average from .147 to .161 and help the Royals win for the sixth time in their last eight games. Pitching has been a huge factor as Kansas City owns a 1.88 ERA during that span while the bullpen hasn't allowed an earned run in 19 1/3 innings, helping to overcome an offense which has hit a major league-low 18 homers.

Baltimore was swept for the first time this season - and first time at home since last May - with a 7-5 loss to Detroit on Wednesday while matching a season high with its fourth straight loss. The Orioles, who have won six of their last eight games on the road, begin a six-game trek which will also take them to Pittsburgh. Kansas City rookie Yordano Ventura dominated Baltimore in a 5-0 victory April 25 with eight strikeouts in a career-high eight innings and opposes Wei-Yin Chen, who is 1-1 while allowing two earned runs in each of his last three starts.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, MASN (Baltimore), FSN Kansas City

PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles LH Wei-Yin Chen (4-2, 3.95 ERA) vs. Royals RH Yordano Ventura (2-2, 2.34)

Chen matched a season high when he pitched seven innings and allowed two runs and five hits in a 4-3 victory over Houston on Friday. The 28-year-old Taiwan native is 2-1 with a 5.40 ERA in three road starts, including victories against Boston and the New York Yankees and a loss to Minnesota on May 3. Chen is 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA and .310 batting average against in five starts against Kansas City, and yielded two homers apiece to Billy Butler (8-for-15) and Eric Hosmer (6-for-14).

Ventura reached 100 miles per hour but struck out a season-low three while allowing a pair of home runs in a 3-1 loss at Seattle on Saturday. The 22-year-old Dominican Republic native, who struck out a career-high 10 in his previous start, yielded only two homers in his previous six starts. Ventura has recorded five quality starts in his seven turns this season - the Royals are 3-4 in his outings - and has struck out 44 in 42 1/3 innings while allowing 32 hits and sporting a 1.11 WHIP.

WALK-OFFS

1. Moustakas' three RBIs on Wednesday matched his total from the previous 15 games.

2. The Royals on Wednesday won for the first time this season when scoring three runs or fewer (1-17).

3. The teams have split 50 meetings since the start of 2008 after Kansas City took two of three in Baltimore last month.

PREDICTION: Royals 3, Orioles 2