Royals at Yankees
Danny Duffy turned in his best outing of the season last week against the New York Yankees and will look to continue a recent hot stretch when the Kansas City Royals continue a four-game series at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday night. Duffy prevented a sweep by the Yankees in Kansas City last Thursday by striking out 10 in seven scoreless innings.
The left-hander will try to stifle a New York lineup that produced three more home runs in a series-opening 4-2 victory to boost its American League-leading total to 66 in 42 games. The Royals could not protect an early two-run lead Monday and dipped to 1-3 on their 10-game road trip while falling to a major league-worst 6-15 on the road. While the Yankees feature plenty of power, they are receiving surprising pop from Brett Gardner at the top of the order. Gardner hit seven home runs in 2016 but he already clubbed nine this season - all coming in his past 21 games.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FSN Kansas City, YES (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals LH Danny Duffy (3-3, 2.97 ERA) vs. Yankees LH Jordan Montgomery (2-3, 4.81)
Duffy has turned a corner since he was pounded for six runs in consecutive starts against the Chicago White Sox, permitting a combined three runs over 20 2/3 innings in his last three turns. Duffy matched a season low by holding the Yankees to three hits and has gone seven consecutive starts without allowing a homer. Matt Holliday is 3-for-8 with a home run against Duffy.
Montgomery will be trying to avenge a rough outing last week in Kansas City, when he was tagged for five runs over five innings to lose his second straight start. After giving up two homers in his first five starts, the 24-year-old has surrendered a three-run blast in each of his last two. Montgomery will be making his fifth start at Yankee Stadium, where he is winless since April 17.
WALK-OFFS
1. Yankees SS Didi Gregorius is 7-for-14 with a homer and five RBIs in four games versus Kansas City this season.
2. Royals C Salvador Perez is 5-for-12 with three homers and five RBIs in his last three games.
3. After striking out for the eighth straight at-bat Monday, Holliday ended the skid with a pair of hits.