Kansas City @ Atlanta preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 23, 2019 ) Kansas City 5, Atlanta 4

Lucas Duda helped the Atlanta Braves win the National League East last season, but he hurt his former team with a pinch-hit homer to give the Kansas City Royals a chance at a sweep of a two-game road series Wednesday. Duda came off the bench to belt a solo shot in the eighth inning of Tuesday’s 5-4 victory, helping the Royals win for the eighth time in 11 games since the All-Star break as left fielder Alex Gordon finished a triple shy of the cycle.

Gordon has nine multi-hit games and is hitting .359 in 17 contests this month after finishing 3-for-4 with a double and a homer, and he overtook Mike Sweeney’s franchise record for most interleague RBIs with 86. Atlanta fell to 2-3 on its current six-game homestand and saw Washington pull within 5 1/2 games of first place in the National League East. Braves center fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. extended his on-base streak to 28 games - the longest active streak in the majors - by reaching on a hit-by-pitch in the third inning, and in his past nine games has stolen nine bases. Second baseman Ozzie Albies finished with two hits Tuesday, and is batting .327 with six doubles in his past 13 games for Atlanta.

TV: 7:20 p.m. ET, FS Kansas City, FS Southeast (Atlanta)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Brad Keller (6-9, 4.18 ERA) vs. Braves RH Julio Teheran (5-6, 3.61)

Keller ended June by allowing 13 runs on 20 hits across his final three starts, but has surrendered just four earned runs with 16 strikeouts over 20 innings in his first three outings of July. The 23-year-old, who grew up about 50 miles northeast of Atlanta, has won his past two starts with victories over Detroit and the Chicago White Sox, striking out seven in each contest. Keller, who gave up two earned runs (four total) on nine hits over 6 1/3 innings Thursday against Chicago, is 2-6 with a 4.81 ERA and 1.59 WHIP in 13 road starts this season.

Teheran has provided veteran stability for Atlanta’s young rotation, surrendering two earned runs or fewer in 12 of his past 14 starts while pitching to a 2.69 ERA and holding opponents to a .204 average in that span. The 28-year-old scattered four hits and gave up one run with no walks and five strikeouts Friday against Washington, and across his past four outings has struck out 21 in 21 innings with five earned runs allowed. Teheran has limited right-handed hitters to a .210 average this season, and at home is 3-2 with a 2.54 ERA and 1.29 WHIP in nine starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Braves had plenty of chances in the series opener, going 3-for-15 with runners in scoring position and leaving 12 runners on base.

2. Royals RHP Ian Kennedy earned his 18th save in the series opener, and in his past seven appearances has posted seven saves with eight strikeouts and six hits allowed in 6 1/3 innings.

3. Atlanta is 6-0-1 in its past seven series at SunTrust Park, and needs a victory Wednesday to avoid its first home series loss since May 28-29.

PREDICTION: Braves 6, Royals 3