Mariners at Royals (Game 1)
Robinson Cano hopes to add to his historic doubles total when his Seattle Mariners visit the Kansas City Royals on Sunday for a traditional doubleheader that will conclude their four-game series. The 34-year-old Cano, who was denied that chance when Saturday's contest was rained out, became the 63rd player in major-league history to record 500 career two-base hits in Seattle's 5-2 victory on Friday.
Mariners slugger Nelson Cruz was in Saturday's starting lineup before the game was washed away and is expected to play Sunday after being scratched from Friday's triumph due to back spasms. The All-Star is tied for the American League lead with 80 RBIs. Seattle has won five of its last seven contests and is 1 1/2 games behind Kansas City, which holds the second AL wild-card spot despite having lost four of five. The Royals have scored a total of 11 runs in that span, with six coming in the lone victory, while Eric Hosmer has gone 0-for-8 over the first two contests of the series following an eight-game hitting streak.
TV: 2:15 p.m. ET, ROOT Northwest (Seattle), FSN Kansas City
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mariners LH Marco Gonzales (0-0, 13.50 ERA) vs. Royals LH Danny Duffy (7-6, 3.42)
Gonzales will start the opener of the twinbill after being recalled from Triple-A Tacoma to fill in Saturday for Felix Hernandez, who landed on the 10-day disabled list with tendinitis in his right biceps. The 25-year-old native of Colorado was tagged by Milwaukee for five runs and six hits - three homers - over 3 1/3 innings of a no-decision on June 13 while with St. Louis before being acquired by Seattle on July 21. Gonzales, who will be facing Kansas City for the first time, is 4-2 with a 5.53 ERA in 12 major-league appearances (seven starts) - all with the Cardinals.
Duffy settled for a no-decision at Baltimore on Monday, when he worked seven innings while allowing just one run for the third time in four starts. The 28-year-old Californian has pitched well at home of late, going 2-1 in his last four turns while giving up fewer than three runs in three of the outings. Duffy defeated the Mariners on July 4, when he yielded two runs and five hits in 5 2/3 frames at Seattle.
WALK-OFFS
1. Royals C Salvador Perez may land on the disabled list due to the intercostal strain he suffered in Friday's loss.
2. Mariners CF Jarrod Dyson is 4-for-7 with two stolen bases in the series against his former club.
3. Seattle C Mike Zunino is hitless in seven at-bats (four strikeouts) in the set and just 1-for-18 over his last seven contests.