Chicago @ Kansas City preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 20, 2013 ) Chi. White Sox 2, Kansas City 0

The Kansas City Royals picked a bad time for their offense to go into a deep freeze. The Royals' struggles at the plate continued in Tuesday's 2-0 loss to the lowly Chicago White Sox, the sixth loss in eight games for Kansas City, which has produced only 16 runs during that span after ripping off 17 victories in 20 games. The latest defeat dropped the Royals 6 1/2 games behind Oakland for the second wild card in the American League entering Wednesday's matchup with the visiting White Sox.

Kansas City hopes third baseman Mike Moustakas will return to the lineup Wednesday after he sat out seven of the past eight games with a calf injury. Chicago owns the worst record away from home in the AL (22-42) but will seek its fifth consecutive victory - all on the road - in the middle game of the three-game set. Rookie Avisail Garcia, acquired from Detroit as part of the three-team deal that landed Jake Peavy in Boston, had three hits Tuesday to extend his hitting streak to seven games.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox RH Andre Rienzo (0-0, 3.70 ERA) vs. Royals RH Jeremy Guthrie (12-9, 4.15)

Rienzo is still in search of his first major-league win as he prepares to make his fifth career start. He was in line for the victory last time out at Minnesota after giving up two runs - one earned - in six innings, but the bullpen could not preserve the lead. The 25-year-old Brazilian has a 2.84 ERA in three road starts and has pitched at least six innings in each.

Guthrie has lost his last two starts and has not looked good in doing so, permitting nine runs and 23 hits over 13 innings. He was tagged for four runs and 13 hits over seven innings in his last turn, the third time in six starts he has allowed at least 10 hits. Guthrie gave up a combined one run in two wins over Chicago earlier in the season, but was pounded for six runs in 2 1/3 innings by the White Sox on June 21.

WALK-OFFS

1. Guthrie is 8-3 with a 4.06 ERA in 12 home starts.

2. White Sox DH Adam Dunn is 3-for-23 with 11 strikeouts versus Guthrie.

3. Garcia has four multiple-hit games during his current hitting streak - one more than in his first 34 games this season.

PREDICTION: Royals 3, White Sox 2