New York @ Kansas City preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 30, 2016 ) NY Yankees 5, Kansas City 4

The New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals can't afford too many missteps as they continue their respective mad dashes toward the finish line. The teams look to improve their position at the other's expense on Wednesday when they play the rubber match of their three-game series at Kauffman Stadium.

Jacoby Ellsbury capped a four-hit performance with an RBI single in the 10th inning, lifting New York to its fifth win in seven outings with a 5-4 triumph on Tuesday. The 32-year-old has relished facing the Royals in his career (65-for-183, .355) and will look to send the Yankees to their seventh series victory in their last eight attempts. While New York resides 3 1/2 games in back of Baltimore for the final postseason spot, Kansas City sits three behind the Orioles despite losing for just the fifth time in 23 outings. Alcides Escobar has four doubles, two homers, seven RBIs and four runs scored during his eight-game hitting streak heading into an encounter with Wednesday starter Luis Cessa.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Luis Cessa (4-0, 4.11 ERA) vs. Royals RH Ian Kennedy (9-9, 3.57)

After making eight straight relief appearances, Cessa won his second consecutive start on Friday by working around a pair of blasts from Manny Machado in a 14-4 rout of Baltimore. The 24-year-old has worked six innings in each of his last two trips to the mound, but his penchant for giving up the long ball could be an issue. Cessa has yielded seven homers and 15 runs total in 30 2/3 innings this season.

Kennedy won his third straight start on Friday after striking out eight in 5 1/3 innings of a 6-3 victory at Boston. The 31-year-old has allowed just five runs and fanned 36 batters in his last six starts heading into a date against the team that selected him with a first-round pick in the 2006 draft. Kennedy has split a pair of career outings versus New York, although he was blitzed for three homers and seven runs total in his last encounter.

WALK-OFFS

1. New York DH Brian McCann recorded his second three-hit performance during his four-game hitting streak on Tuesday and is 6-for-19 with two homers in his career versus Kennedy.

2. Kansas City DH Kendrys Morales is 6-for-12 with four runs scored in his last three contests.

3. Yankees rookie C Gary Sanchez is 14-for-33 during his eight-game hitting streak.

PREDICTION: Royals 3, Yankees 2