Angels at Royals
The Los Angeles Angels began their three-game series with the Kansas City Royals as one of the top hitting teams in the American League, but they'll be lucky to leave Kauffman Stadium with much confidence. The host Royals aim to reach the .500 mark for the first time this season Sunday as they attempt to complete a sweep of the slumping Angels.
Los Angeles entered Friday's opener leading the AL in hits (94) and batting average (.276), but the Royals' pitching staff has more than been up to the task, holding the Angels to three runs, 10 hits - all singles - and a .159 average in the first two games of the series. Nathan Karns fired six solid innings Saturday after Danny Duffy went seven strong frames the night before, and Kansas City used a pair of solo homers - including Mike Moustakas' tiebreaking blast in the eighth - to overcome yet another poor performance with runners in scoring position (1-for-4; 11-for-69 for the season). Despite holding an opponent to fewer than five runs for the first time in over a week, Los Angeles dropped its fourth straight. While the Angels were able to overcome poor pitching (4.97 ERA, 28th in the majors) during their 6-2 start by averaging 5.1 runs, they have totaled nine during their skid.
TV: 2:15 p.m. ET, FSN West (Los Angeles), FSN Kansas City
PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels LH Tyler Skaggs (0-1, 8.71 ERA) vs. Royals RH Ian Kennedy (0-2, 4.09)
After going 1-1 with a 2.64 ERA in his final three turns of last season, Skaggs has struggled mightily in 2017, giving up a total of 10 runs - and three homers - over 11 1/3 innings in his first two outings. The 25-year-old escaped with a no-decision versus Texas at home on Tuesday after surrendering five runs on eight hits - two blasts - and two walks in five frames. Skaggs was brilliant in his only career start against the Royals, however, allowing only three hits over seven scoreless innings last season.
Kennedy pitched well but received no run support Monday against Oakland, suffering his second loss in as many turns as Khris Davis clubbed a two-run homer to account for all the scoring he allowed over six frames. It was a decent bounce-back effort for the 32-year-old, who yielded three runs on three hits and five walks in five innings at Minnesota on April 5. Kennedy has had no success versus the Angels in five career appearances (four starts), going 0-4 with a 6.55 ERA - including an 0-2 mark and 7.36 ERA last season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Kansas City CF Lorenzo Cain has recorded multiple hits in four consecutive contests and is riding a 13-game home hitting streak. During his torrid stretch at Kauffman Stadium, Cain is batting .412.
2. Despite going 1-for-17 during his team's losing streak, Angels SS Yunel Escobar still is tied for the AL lead in hits with 16.
3. Moustakas' homer on Saturday, his first blast against a left-hander since April 9, 2016, gave him 300 career RBIs,