Athletics at Royals
The Kansas City Royals are battling to climb back to the .500 mark but a brutal schedule in July is making it a daunting challenge. The Royals can move within a game of the break-even point when they host the Oakland Athletics on Sunday in the rubber match of a three-game series. Kansas City is in the midst of a 20-game stretch in which it will face six consecutive division contenders - Cleveland (twice), Oakland, the New York Yankees, Detroit and Baltimore.
The Athletics have leveled off following a torrid 21-5 stretch that had propelled them to the top of the American League West. Saturday's sloppy 4-3 loss, which featured three errors, dropped Oakland to 10-10 over its last 20 games. Veteran right-hander Barolo Colon was the Athletics' lone representative on the All-Star team, but a notable omission was third baseman Josh Donaldson, who on Saturday became the 14th player in franchise history to reach 100 hits by the All-Star break.
TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, Comcast Sports Network California (Oakland), Fox Sports Kansas City
PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH A.J. Griffin (6-6, 3.95 ERA) vs. Royals RH Luis Mendoza (2-4, 4.41)
Griffin did not factor in the decision but he was tagged for seven runs and a season-high 10 hits his last time out against the Chicago Cubs. That came on the heels of his best performance of the year, when he tossed a two-hit shutout against the Cincinnati Reds. That marks the only victory in the past seven starts for Griffin, who made his only career start against the Royals on May 19, giving up three runs in six innings.
Mendoza is also having trouble getting into the victory column, winning just once in his last nine outings. Part of that is due to Kansas City's offense, which supplied only 10 runs during a five-start winless streak from May 19 to June 9. Mendoza is 0-2 with a 3.31 ERA in six appearances (three starts) against the Athletics, including six innings of three-run ball (two earned) in Oakland on May 19 when he received a no-decision.
WALK-OFFS
1. Griffin has given up 10 homers over 56 2/3 innings in 10 road starts.
2. Mendoza is 0-2 with a 5.65 ERA in seven home starts this season.
3. Athletics SS Jed Lowrie (calf) and Royals SS Alcides Escobar (rest) were not in the starting lineup Saturday.