New York @ Kansas City preview

Last Meeting ( May 12, 2016 ) Kansas City 3, NY Yankees 7

Two teams scrambling for a wild-card spot in the American League butt heads Monday as the Kansas City Royals host the New York Yankees for the opener of a three-game series. The reigning world champion, Kansas City sits three games behind Baltimore for the second wild card after using an eight-run rally in the sixth inning to erase a deficit and post a 10-4 triumph at Boston.

Raul Mondesi highlighted the outburst with a three-run triple as the Royals completed a 4-2 road trip and climbed within 5 1/2 games of first-place Cleveland in the AL Central. New York trails the Orioles by 3 1/2 games for the second wild-card spot after being blanked 5-0 by Baltimore on Sunday. The setback prevented the Yankees from completing a three-game sweep as they fell 6 1/2 behind the Blue Jays for the top spot in the AL East. Rookie Gary Sanchez was held without a home run in a game for just the second time in six contests but is riding a six-game hitting streak during which he is 12-for-23.

TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, YES (New York), FSN Kansas City

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Michael Pineda (6-10, 5.02 ERA) vs. Royals RH Dillon Gee (5-7, 4.55)

Pineda escaped Seattle last Monday with a no-decision after surrendering five runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings against his former team. The 27-year-old Dominican has been victorious only once in his last five outings and has yielded five runs in four of his last nine turns. Pineda fell to 3-4 lifetime against Kansas City on May 11, when he was tagged for six runs on six hits and four walks in 5 2/3 innings at home.

Gee pitched well in his last start at home, notching the victory over Minnesota on Aug. 18 after allowing just one run and five hits over seven innings, but was saddled with the loss at Miami on Wednesday as he yielded three runs in 5 1/3 frames. The 30-year-old Texan also picked up the win at Kauffman Stadium in a relief appearance on Aug. 10, striking out three over two scoreless innings against the Chicago White Sox. Gee is 1-2 with a 3.04 ERA in four career games (three starts) versus New York.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Yankees have won six of their last eight road games and have scored at least five runs on six occasions during that span.

2. Kansas City LHP Matt Strahm has worked 13 scoreless frames over his last eight relief appearances after yielding a run in one-third of an inning in his major-league debut.

3. After this series, New York will play 27 of its last 30 games aginst division rivals.

PREDICTION: Yankees 6, Royals 4