Cardinals at Royals
The stakes aren’t always high when the Kansas City Royals and St. Louis Cardinals play their annual interleague series. This year’s I-70 Series comes with plenty on the line, though, as both teams enter the four-game home-and-home series Monday at Kansas City with hopes of making a playoff push.
The Royals are in position for the second wild card and just 2 1/2 games behind first-place Cleveland in the American League Central after splitting a doubleheader with visiting Seattle on Sunday. Kansas City has won seven of its last nine games at home, where the first two contests of the series will be played. The Cardinals went 9-for-19 with runners in scoring position in Sunday’s 13-4 win at Cincinnati, giving them a series win. St. Louis is 3 1/2 games behind the first-place Chicago Cubs in the National League Central.
TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, FSN Midwest (St. Louis), FSN Kansas City
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Carlos Martinez (7-9, 3.59 ERA) vs. Royals RH Ian Kennedy (4-7, 4.60)
Martinez has allowed first-inning runs in six straight starts and owns a 6.55 ERA in the opening frame this season. The 25-year-old has a 5.82 ERA with just two quality starts over his last six outings, and gave up three runs in five innings of a loss at Milwaukee last time out. Martinez has made one start and one relief appearance against the Royals and did not allow a run in eight innings combined.
Kennedy had a solid month of July, but his first start in August was a rough one. The 32-year-old gave up four runs and eight hits over four-plus innings in a loss at Baltimore on Tuesday, suffering his first defeat since June 5. Kennedy is 3-5 with a 7.20 ERA in eight starts against the Cardinals, most recently in 2015.
WALK-OFFS
1. St. Louis CF Dexter Fowler is on the disabled list with a wrist injury but could be activated at some point during the series.
2. The Royals placed C Salvador Perez on the disabled list with a right intercostal strain suffered Friday and could be without the All-Star backstop for up to four weeks.
3. Cardinals OF Tommy Pham, who is 4-for-6 with a homer against Kennedy, is 8-for-24 during a six-game hitting streak.