Astros at Royals
Evan Gattis is on a tremendous tear and strives to continue to torment opposing pitchers when the Houston Astros visit the Kansas City Royals on Saturday afternoon for the middle contest of their three-game series. Gattis slugged his second career grand slam in Friday's 7-3 victory, giving him six homers and 20 RBIs during the Astros' nine-game winning streak.
The 31-year-old Gattis has been hotter than lava over his last 28 games, belting 13 shots and driving in 38 runs during the stretch. He has been especially lethal over the last four contests with four homers and 14 RBIs, including back-to-back five-RBI performances against Oakland earlier in the week. Alex Bregman and Carlos Correa belted solo homers in the series opener as Houston handed the slumping Royals their 10th loss in 11 games. Kansas City also lost right fielder Jorge Soler to a fractured left foot when he tripped while leaving the batter's box and fell after hitting a ground ball in the sixth inning, and he will undergo a CT scan on Saturday to determine the severity.
TV: 2:15 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet-Southwest (Houston), FS Kansas City
PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros LH Dallas Keuchel (3-8, 4.45 ERA) vs. Royals LH Danny Duffy (3-6, 5.28)
Keuchel has struggled over his last five outings as he is 0-3 with a 7.33 ERA during that stretch. The 30-year-old allowed six runs - five earned - and a season-high 13 hits in just 4 1/3 innings against Texas in his last turn but escaped with a no-decision. Keuchel is 3-1 with a 3.32 ERA in six career starts against the Royals and has shut down both Salvador Perez (2-for-18) and Alex Gordon (1-for-10).
Duffy put together a stellar showing while beating Oakland in his last turn as he registered a season-high 10 strikeouts while giving up just three hits over seven scoreless innings. The 29-year-old is 2-0 over his last four turns, allowing fewer than two runs in three of the outings. Duffy is 2-2 with a 4.50 ERA in seven career appearances (four starts) against Houston and has been torched by Jose Altuve (7-for-14) and George Springer (3-for-9, two homers).
WALK-OFFS
1. The Astros are 8-0 during their 10-game road trip that concludes on Sunday.
2. Kansas City has scored just 26 runs in 13 games this month.
3. Houston OF Tony Kemp recorded two hits on Friday and is 12-for-30 with five multi-hit efforts over his last nine appearances.