Kansas City @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 13, 2016 ) Kansas City 3, Minnesota 5

The Kansas City Royals will try to win their fourth straight series in Target Field when they meet the host Minnesota Twins in the rubber match of a three-game set Sunday afternoon. The teams have split the first two encounters, with the Twins claiming Saturday's contest 5-3 to defeat their American League Central rivals for just the second time in the last 11 meetings in Minneapolis.

Kansas City saw Lorenzo Cain, Eric Hosmer and Kendrys Morales - the third, fourth and fifth hitters in the lineup - go 0-for-12 as its three-game winning streak came to an end. Brian Dozier hit a solo homer for Minnesota, giving him 100 for his career, including one in each of his last three games against the Royals. Cheslor Cuthbert went deep for Kansas City to extend his hitting streak to nine games, during which he is hitting .350. Edinson Volquez gets the start in the series finale for the Royals and carries in a 4-1 record and a 2.20 ERA in his career against the Twins, who start Hector Santiago.

TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, FSN Kansas City, FSN North (Minnesota)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Edinson Volquez (8-10, 5.03 ERA) vs. Twins LH Hector Santiago (10-6, 4.47)

Volquez allowed four earned runs and struck out 16 batters over 12 1/3 innings in two starts against the Twins early in the season. He is 0-2 with an 8.47 ERA over his last three appearances - giving up 30 hits in 17 innings in that span - and enters this one with a 2-7 record and 6.51 ERA on the road. The 33-year-old will be wary of Twins veteran Joe Mauer, who is 9-for-22 with a homer and a double against him.

Santiago has allowed eight earned runs in 10 1/3 innings over two starts - both losses - since joining the Twins at the trade deadline from the Los Angeles Angels. One of his six straight wins in July came at Kansas City on July 25, when he allowed two runs in 5 1/3 frames to improve to 2-1 with a 1.89 ERA in his career against the Royals. The New Jersey native owns a 7.04 mark in six career games (five starts) at Target Field.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Royals are 20-39 on the road a year after going 44-37.

2. Mauer is batting .330 in 173 career games against Kansas City.

3. Dozier has eight homers in his last 14 games.

PREDICTION: Twins 5, Royals 4