Seattle @ Kansas City preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 21, 2014 ) Seattle 2, Kansas City 1

The Kansas City Royals used a 10-game winning streak to surge into first place in the American League Central, but they have dropped three straight to relinquish the division lead back to Detroit. The Royals will look to halt their slide and avoid a three-game series sweep against the visiting Seattle Mariners on Sunday. The back-to-back losses to Seattle dropped Kansas City to 18-18 at Kauffman Stadium with seven more to play on the current nine-game homestand.

The Mariners had lost eight of their previous nine one-run decisions before squeezing out a 2-1 victory Saturday on Dustin Ackley's ninth-inning RBI single. "Any time you're winning those types of games, that's right where you need to be," Ackley told reporters after the game. "If you want to have a good winning season, you've got to win games like this." Seattle has rebounded from a five-game losing streak to win five of its last seven games.

TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Seattle), FSN Kansas City

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners LH Roenis Elías (6-5, 3.91 ERA) vs. Royals RH Yordano Ventura (5-5, 3.26)

Elías is coming off a strong performance, limiting San Diego to one run on three hits over seven innings to improve to 3-1 in his last four starts. The 25-year-old Cuban continues to have issues with the long ball, surrendering four homers in his last three turns and 11 overall for the season. He had one of his worst outings against Kansas City on May 11, giving up five runs and a season-high nine hits in five innings.

Ventura is quietly emerging into one of Kansas City's most reliable starters, rattling off three straight victories and permitting a total of six runs over 20 innings in three starts this month. The 23-year-old Dominican lost four straight games in May, including a defeat at Seattle in which he allowed three runs in 6 1/3 innings. Ventura has yielded three runs or fewer in 10 of his 13 starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. Seattle is seeking its first three-game series sweep since opening the season by taking three from the Los Angeles Angeles.

2. Although Kansas City is tied with St. Louis for the fewest homers (42) in the majors, half of them have come in the last 22 games.

3. The Mariners are 22-16 away from home, the second-best road mark in the AL behind Oakland.

PREDICTION: Royals 4, Mariners 2