Houston @ Kansas City preview
Kauffman Stadium
Last Meeting ( Jun 7, 2013 ) Houston 2, Kansas City 4
The Kansas City Royals hope to keep rolling at home Saturday as they take on the Houston Astros in the middle contest of their three-game series. After losing a club-record 11 consecutive games at Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City has won three straight in its own ballpark - including the series opener against Houston on Friday. Billy Butler and David Lough each hit an RBI double in the eighth inning as the Royals came away with a 4-2 victory.
The loss ended the Astros' six-game road winning streak and handed them their third defeat in four overall contests. Houston, which is visiting Kansas City for the first time since June 15-17, 2010, owns a 10-6 record at Kauffman. The Astros won two of three at home against the Royals from May 20-22 and are 19-15 in the all-time series.
TV: 7:15 p.m. ET, Fox
PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros LH Erik Bedard (1-2, 4.76 ERA) vs. Royals RH Ervin Santana (3-5, 3.03)
Bedard is coming off his best start of the season, a seven-inning effort on Monday in which he limited the Los Angeles Angels to one run and five hits en route to his first victory since Aug. 12 while with Pittsburgh. The 34-year-old has allowed fewer than three runs in each of his last five outings but is just 1-0 over that stretch. Bedard has pitched well against the Royals in his career, going 4-2 with a 2.93 ERA in seven starts.
Santana looks to snap his six-start winless streak during which he is 0-4 with a 3.92 ERA. The 30-year-old Dominican pitched well enough to win at Texas on Sunday, when he held the Rangers' potent offense to an unearned run and three hits over seven innings. Santana, whose next win will be the 100th of his major-league career, escaped with a no-decision in his only career start against Houston after surrendering four runs in 6 2/3 frames on June 20, 2007.
WALK-OFFS
1. Lough has seven RBIs since being recalled from the minors on May 16, all coming with two outs.
2. Houston 2B Jose Altuve has missed two games with a groin injury.
3. Santana has received a run support of 2.68 per nine innings, the lowest average in the American League.
PREDICTION: Astros 5, Royals 3