In a matchup of last-place teams, the Kansas City Royals are having their way with the Athletics.
With right-hander Randy Dobnak looking to continue his surprise success on the mound, the Royals will aim for a four-game series sweep of the visiting Athletics on Thursday afternoon.
Kansas City sits at the bottom of the American League Central, 20 games under .500, but is 13-4 at home since July 5.
The Royals rallied for three runs in the ninth inning for a 4-3, walk-off victory on Tuesday. They then overcame a three-run deficit by scoring seven times in the eighth inning in a 9-7 win on Wednesday.
On Thursday, they will try to match a season high with a fifth consecutive victory.
"We got a team that we always think we're in the game," Kansas City outfielder John Rave told Royals.TV. "Two awesome nights in a row, and we're gonna keep it going."
Rave highlighted the eighth inning with a three-run double on Wednesday, and Vinnie Pasquantino homered for one of his three hits in the game and had two RBIs. He's batting .412 in his last nine games.
Dobnak (2-1, 1.73 ERA), meanwhile, has been a bright spot during this tough season for the Royals. Dobnak, who broke into the majors with Minnesota in 2019, debuted with Kansas City on July 2 and made two relief appearances before posting a 1.69 ERA in six starts.
On Saturday, he yielded four hits and struck out six batters during 5 2/3 scoreless innings of the Royals' 1-0 loss to the Los Angeles Angels.
"Nothing changes with him," Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro said. "Maybe his command was a tick off (Saturday), but he keeps coming after (them)."
This will be Dobnak's first career start against the Athletics.
Owners of the AL's worst record at 49-78, the A's have lost 19 of their last 23 games on the road. Despite those struggles, the Athletics' Jeff McNeil had two hits Wednesday and is batting .386 with 17 RBIs in 26 games since the All-Star break.
The Athletics' scheduled starter for Thursday, Gage Jump (5-7, 4.50 ERA), allowed six runs over 3 2/3 innings against Detroit on Aug. 2 but has yielded five runs over 11 1/3 frames in his last two games. The rookie left-hander walked four Friday against Texas but allowed only a three-run homer on his final pitch of a 5 1/3-inning effort during the Athletics' 8-3 victory.
That effort came at home, where Jump is 2-5 with a 6.02 ERA in nine starts. However, he's 3-2 with a 2.60 ERA in six on the road. He has never faced the Royals.
Despite the A's overall issues, Jump is pitching with pride down the stretch.
"I don't ever want to feel like someone can step on me or the team," he told the Athletics' official website. "My job is to kind of make it hell for them."
The A's hope star shortstop Jacob Wilson can return Thursday from a three-game absence because of shoulder soreness.
"It's day-to-day. We are trying to make improvement," manager Mark Kotsay said.
Meanwhile, budding Royals star Jac Caglianone, batting .416 with 23 RBIs in his last 20 games, could sit after he exited Wednesday's contest with right ankle soreness.
--Field Level Media