Oakland @ Kansas City preview

Oakland at Kansas City

Last Meeting ( Aug 3, 2014 ) Kansas City 4, Oakland 2

The Kansas City Royals are enjoying their recent run against West Coast competition and creating chaos in the American League Central as a result. The Royals, who host the Oakland Athletics for the first of four games on Monday, have won seven straight following three-game sweeps of Arizona and San Francisco. Kansas City, which also won 10 in a row in June, has posted two winning streaks of at least seven games in the same season for the first time since 1985 - the last time it made the playoffs.

The Royals have won 10 of 11 overall to move within a half-game of AL Central-leading Detroit and started their recent run by taking the rubber match of a three-game set in Oakland on Aug. 3. The Athletics have won five of seven since that defeat, although their prolific offense bogged down in Sunday’s 6-1 setback to Minnesota – the first time they had been limited to two runs or fewer since totaling three runs in their two losses to Kansas City. Despite its latest defeat, Oakland maintained its four-game edge over the Los Angeles Angels in the AL West.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, CSN California (Oakland), FSN Kansas City

PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Sonny Gray (12-5, 2.87 ERA) vs. Royals RH Yordano Ventura (9-8, 3.47)

After allowing a total of five runs and posting a 1.07 ERA in his previous six outings, Gray coughed up career highs in runs (seven, six earned) and hits (10) over a season-low 4 1/3 innings during a 7-3 loss to Tampa Bay. July's AL Pitcher of the Month has fared well on the road, however, going 5-1 with a 2.37 ERA in nine turns. Gray struck out seven in as many innings on Aug.1 but took a hard-luck loss in his first career start against Kansas City despite allowing one run on three hits.

Ventura moved into a tie for third place among major-league rookies with his ninth victory and improved to 4-1 in his last seven starts following Wednesday’s 4-3 win in Arizona. The 23-year-old Dominican held the Diamondbacks to two runs despite yielding eight hits and a walk over six frames while striking out eight during his 105-pitch outing. Ventura, who has won four of his last five decisions and went 2-0 with a 2.40 ERA in three home appearances (two starts) in July, will face Oakland for the first time.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Royals recorded seven steals against the Giants on Sunday and have stolen 17 more bases than the next-closest AL team (Houston, 85).

2. Oakland SS Jed Lowrie (bruised finger) is expected to rejoin the lineup Monday after sitting out Sunday’s loss.

3. Kansas City LF Alex Gordon is 6-for-14 with three homers and six RBIs over his last four games.

PREDICTION: Athletics 3, Royals 2