San Francisco @ Kansas City preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 9, 2014 ) San Francisco 0, Kansas City 5

The Kansas City Royals try for their seventh straight victory - and a three-game sweep of San Francisco - when they host the Giants on Sunday. James Shields pitched a four-hitter in Kansas City's 5-0 win Saturday, and turned to left field to salute the bullpen after recording the final out. "They've done a phenomenal job for us, saving our behinds all year long,'' Shields told reporters. "It's nice to give them a day off. It just a nice little salute to the bullpen, tell them to take a day."

The Royals recorded their second complete game in three contests while winning for the 14th time in 17 games as they crept to within 1 1/2 of first-place Detroit in the American League Central while strengthening their grip on the second wild-card spot. San Francisco has lost four of five and 11 of 16, and remains in a virtual tie for the second wild-card position with St. Louis in the National League while sitting 3 1/2 games behind Los Angeles in the West. San Francisco's Tim Lincecum is 0-2 with a 7.41 ERA in four starts since the All-Star break and opposes Danny Duffy, who won for the first time in six outings after receiving ample run support in his last turn.

TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, CSN Bay Area (San Francisco), FSN Kansas City

PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Tim Lincecum (9-7, 4.22 ERA) vs. Royals LH Danny Duffy (6-10, 2.39)

Lincecum recorded his second straight no-decision after yielding three runs and seven hits while striking out eight in six innings of San Francisco's 4-3 loss in Milwaukee on Tuesday. The 30-year-old Washington native, who earned his first career save by recording the final two outs of the Giants' 9-7 victory in Philadelphia on July 22, won his last four starts prior to the All-Star break - including his second career no-hitter. The Giants are 14-9 in Lincecum's starts.

Duffy allowed one run and three hits while striking out seven in five innings of a 12-2 victory in Arizona on Tuesday. The 25-year-old Californian received eight runs of support in his eight previous turns, going 1-5 with a 1.98 ERA during that span. ''Our pitching has picked us up all year and for us to give Duffy some support like that, especially a guy we haven't been giving any to, was big for us,'' Royals designated hitter Billy Butler told reporters.

WALK-OFFS

1. San Francisco was 42-21 on June 8 and leading its division by 9 1/2 games, but have gone 20-34 since - the third-worst record in the majors during that span.

2. Kansas City LF Alex Gordon, a former University of Nebraska standout, homered among his two hits on Huskers Night at Kauffman Stadium on Saturday.

3. The Giants lost their eighth straight series against a team better than .500 since winning three of four in St. Louis from May 29-June 1.

PREDICTION: Royals 3, Giants 2