Royals at Mariners
The Kansas City Royals are coming off a three-game sweep by the Los Angeles Angels and the road doesn't get any easier for the reigning World Series champions as they head to Seattle for the start of a three-game series. Ace right-hander Felix Hernandez will be on the mound for the Mariners for Friday night's series opener.
Hernandez has allowed only five earned runs in his four starts and will provide a daunting challenge for Kansas City's slumping offense, which scored only seven times in the three-game set versus Los Angeles. Eric Hosmer's two-run homer, which extended his hitting streak to 17 games, provided the only runs for the Royals in Wednesday's 4-2 loss. "You look at it, we're not swinging the bats right now," manager Ned Yost said. "It's just one of those things you have to kind of wait out until guys get hot." Seattle had won three straight and six of seven before dropping a 7-4 decision to visiting Houston on Wednesday.
TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, FSN Kansas City, ROOT (Seattle)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Kris Medlen (1-1, 6.00 ERA) vs. Mariners RH Felix Hernandez (1-2, 1.80)
After opening the season with a pair of impressive efforts, Medlen was roughed up in an 8-3 loss to Baltimore on Saturday, lasting only 3 2/3 innings while getting tagged for seven runs and nine hits. The 30-year-old Californian went 6 1/3 innings in his previous outing in Oakland, permitting one earned run on two hits. Control issues continue to be a problem for Medlen, who has allowed 11 walks versus 13 strikeouts in only 15 innings.
Hernandez was done in by a pair of mistakes last time out as his hard-luck young season continued with a 4-2 loss to the Angels despite giving up three runs on five hits over seven innings. Hernandez, who has received only eight runs of support in his four starts, won his previous turn at the New York Yankees with five innings of one-run ball. Shortstop Alcides Escobar is 6-for-16 against Hernandez, who is 4-5 with a 3.01 ERA against Kansas City.
WALK-OFFS
1. Hosmer has reached base safely in all 21 games.
2. Mariners SS Ketel Marte has consecutive three-hit games and is 13-for-30 during a seven-game hitting streak.
3. Escobar, batting .220, is 1-for-17 in his last four games.