The Kansas City Royals already have matched their win total from April, and they’ll try to power past that mark when they continue their three-game series against the visiting Baltimore Orioles on Saturday. The Royals posted a 3-2 victory in the series opener and have won eight of their last 10 home meetings with the Orioles.
Baltimore has lost two straight following a six-game winning streak. The Royals have the worst record in the American League, but they’re 7-5 this month after going 7-16 in April. Kansas City’s starting pitching has dramatically improved in May, and Nate Karns will try to continue that trend as he aims for his third straight win. Karns will try to hold down a Baltimore lineup that managed only nine hits in Friday’s opener, snapping a streak of five straight games with 10 or more.
TV: 7:15 p.m. ET, MLB Network, WJZ, MASN2 (Baltimore), FSN Kansas City
PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles RH Chris Tillman (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Royals RH Nate Karns (2-2, 4.58)
Tillman was excellent in his season debut against the Chicago White Sox on Sunday, allowing three hits over five scoreless innings. The 29-year-old issued three walks, which helped contribute to his early exit, but it was a promising start after missing the beginning of the season with a shoulder injury. Tillman is 3-3 with a 5.29 ERA in eight career starts against the Royals, but he posted a win by tossing 7 1/3 scoreless innings in the only meeting last season.
After a couple rough outings to end April, Karns has been outstanding in two starts this month. The 29-year-old registered a career-high 10 strikeouts at Tampa Bay on Monday and has racked up 17 while allowing two runs and seven hits over 12 1/3 frames in his last two outings. Karns is 1-1 with a 3.72 ERA in six career games (five starts) against the Orioles.
WALK-OFFS
1. Orioles DH Mark Trumbo is 12-for-32 with two homers during his eight-game hitting streak.
2. Royals C Salvador Perez, who is 12-for-28 during an eight-game hitting streak, is 5-for-14 with a homer against Tillman.
3. Baltimore 3B Manny Machado is 1-for-13 versus Karns.