Seattle @ Kansas City preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 7, 2016 ) Seattle 3, Kansas City 4

The Kansas City Royals halted their four-game losing streak in dramatic fashion in the series opener and attempt to post consecutive wins for the first time since June 29-30 when they host the Seattle Mariners on Friday. The Royals overcame a three-run, eighth-inning deficit to notch a 4-3 victory on Salvador Perez's two-run double in the bottom of the ninth.

Perez was hitless in 23 at-bats over his previous six games before going 3-for-4 to help Kansas City improve to 2-5 this month. The Royals scored only nine runs during their skid and were blanked by Seattle's James Paxton for 7 2/3 innings on Thursday before beginning their comeback with Paulo Orlando's two-run single. All-Star second baseman Robinson Cano is 10-for-23 during a six-game hitting streak for Seattle, which is 0-4 on its seven-game road trip. Mariners slugger Nelson Cruz belted his 23rd homer of the season on Thursday and has gone deep seven times over his last 14 games.

TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, ROOT (Seattle), FSN Kansas City

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners RH Hisashi Iwakuma (8-6, 4.43 ERA) vs. Royals RH Yordano Ventura (6-6, 5.26)

Iwakuma has dominated Kansas City in four career starts, going 3-0 with a 1.61 ERA and 0.82 WHIP. He has struggled with Eric Hosmer (5-for-12), but each of the first baseman's hits are singles. Iwakuma is 7-2 over his last nine starts despite giving up 13 homers during that stretch.

Ventura has struggled while losing each of his last two outings, giving up 11 runs and 11 hits - three homers - in eight innings. He never has defeated the Mariners, compiling an 0-3 record and 4.34 ERA in five career starts. Ventura has experienced success against Cano (1-for-10) and Kyle Seager (1-for-7, one homer).

WALK-OFFS

1. Royals DH Kendrys Morales (back) was in the lineup after a one-game absence and went hitless in three at-bats.

2. Cano will be participating in his fourth Home Run Derby - he won the competition in 2011.

3. Kansas City RHP Chris Young, who has served up a major league-high 26 homers in 60 innings this season, has been removed from Sunday's start and demoted to the bullpen.

PREDICTION: Royals 5, Mariners 3