Cleveland @ Kansas City preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 13, 2016 ) Cleveland 1, Kansas City 2

The Kansas City Royals are starting to mend the fences after a season-high eight-game losing streak threatened to send the world champions into a tailspin. The Royals look to win their fourth in a row on Tuesday when they play the second contest of a three-game series versus the visiting Cleveland Indians.

Whit Merrifield belted his first career homer and scored twice in Kansas City's 2-1 win on Monday to improve to 30-for-91 (.330) since being recalled from Triple-A Omaha on May 18. While the Royals won the opener of their seven-game homestand to improve to 20-7 at Kauffman Stadium, the Indians look to rebound from just their second loss in eight meetings with Kansas City when they send right-hander Josh Tomlin to the mound on Tuesday. Cleveland has won 17 of his last 20 starts, including nine of 11 this season to find itself atop the American League Central. Jason Kipnis launched a solo homer in the series opener and is a blistering 7-for-17 against Tuesday starter Chris Young.

TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland), FSN Kansas City

PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Josh Tomlin (8-1, 3.48 ERA) vs. Royals RH Chris Young (2-6, 6.37)

Tomlin won both of his starts versus Kansas City this season to improve to 8-4 against the division rival. The 31-year-old tossed six strong innings in a 5-4 victory on May 8 before allowing one run in 6 1/3 frames in a 7-1 triumph on June 4. Tomlin answered the latter start by surrendering a pair of solo homers in 6 1/3 innings of a no-decision against Seattle on Thursday.

Young's troubles with the home-run ball resurfaced on June 5, as he was taken deep four times in 4 2/3 innings of a 7-0 setback at Cleveland. Carlos Santana belted one of those homers, but he is just 3-for-14 in his career versus Young. The 36-year-old hurler has allowed 17 homers in 41 innings this season - with nine coming in his last two starts, albeit nearly a full month apart.

WALK-OFFS

1. Cleveland SS Francisco Lindor collected 14 hits in his previous seven games versus Kansas City before going 0-for-3 in the opener.

2. Royals CF Lorenzo Cain is 0-for-11 in his last three encounters with the Indians.

3. Kansas City has won seven in a row at home.

PREDICTION: Indians 4, Royals 2