Twins at Royals
The Minnesota Twins hope that a change of scenery will get their bats going when they carry a four-game losing streak into Kansas City on Monday for the first of three against the Royals. The Twins have scored six total runs during the slide, including Sunday's 3-1 loss at Seattle, which limited Minnesota to four hits.
Slumping second baseman Brian Dozier had shown signs of life with a modest five-game hitting streak, but he was 0-for-4 in the defeat as the Twins were 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position. The Royals have won four of their last six after a 5-3 victory in Texas on Sunday, which gave them a split of a four-game series. Salvador Perez slugged one of two homers for Kansas City, giving him eight over his last 23 games. He and his teammates will take aim at Twins right-hander Lance Lynn, who is coming off his best start of the season, while Jakob Junis goes for the Royals.
TV: 7:15 p.m. ET, FS North (Minnesota), FS Kansas City
PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Lance Lynn (2-4, 6.34 ERA) vs. Royals RH Jakob Junis (5-3, 3.52)
Lynn took a 7.47 ERA into a matchup with Detroit on Tuesday and finally found his form with 6 2/3 scoreless innings. He limited the Tigers to five hits and a walk while striking out four in his longest outing of the season. The 31-year-old is 0-1 with a 5.55 ERA in four career starts against the Royals and will be particularly careful against Alex Gordon, who is 7-for-12 versus Lynn.
Junis worked at least six innings in five of his first seven starts, but he's failed to get that far in each of his last three outings. He gave up two runs and five hits with seven strikeouts in five frames in a no-decision at St. Louis on Wednesday. The 25-year-old, who has surrendered nine home runs in 29 2/3 innings at home this year, has a 3.27 ERA in two prior matchups with the Twins.
WALK-OFFS
1. Minnesota is 7-3 against American League Central opponents, while Kansas City is 10-13.
2. Royals 2B Whit Merrifield has six hits, four RBIs and three walks during a four-game hitting streak.
3. Twins CF Byron Buxton went 0-for-8 in the series at Seattle, dropping his average to .157.