The Kansas City Royals have an opportunity to earn their first series win in Phoenix in more than a decade when they face the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday afternoon.
After dropping eight of nine games to finish June, Kansas City has taken three of four to open July, including a 9-3 victory over the Diamondbacks on Friday at the start of a three-game series.
The Royals last posted a series win in a sweep over the Texas Rangers from June 17-19. Kansas City also can secure a road series win against the Diamondbacks for the first time since recording a three-game sweep in August 2014.
The Royals’ pitching staff, which is tied for second in the majors with a 3.47 ERA, has allowed just 11 runs through four games this month. Kris Bubic continued the trend on Friday, throwing seven innings of three-run ball.
Kansas City enjoyed a much-needed offensive boost, collecting 14 hits, including three homers. The Royals are tied with the Pittsburgh Pirates for last in the majors with 61 home runs, while their 299 runs rank ahead only of the Chicago White Sox’s 297.
“Lots of good at-bats tonight,” said Vinnie Pasquantino, who hit two homers and drove in six runs for the Royals on Friday. “We’re happy with the result, and now it’s a quick turnaround before we have to be ready to go again (Saturday).
“It’s just nice to help the team out with runners in scoring position. I felt like I haven’t really done my job this year in terms of that, so it was nice to be able to do it tonight.”
Pasquantino’s 14 home runs and 55 RBIs both lead the Kansas City offense.
Michael Wacha (4-8, 3.62 ERA) is scheduled to start for Kansas City on Saturday, looking to break out of a slump that has seen him lose four of his past five starts.
The veteran right-hander allowed five runs on eight hits in five innings on Monday during a 6-2 loss to the Seattle Mariners. Wacha, 34, is 2-1 with a 4.70 ERA in nine career starts against the Diamondbacks.
Arizona, which has lost three straight games, will send Ryne Nelson (4-2, 3.61 ERA) to the mound on Saturday. He is slated to make his 19th appearance and ninth start of the season.
Nelson, who has started in five consecutive outings, has consecutive no-decisions. The 27-year-old right-hander surrendered two runs on five hits across 6 2/3 innings on Monday against the San Francisco Giants while matching a season high with seven strikeouts. The Diamondbacks won 4-2.
Nelson threw 88 pitches, including 62 fastballs, a reliable source of outs for him.
“I think that’s just been the overall game plan lately is just to attack and kind of feel out how the at-bats go,” Nelson said. “But the most important thing is to get ahead of guys and control the count. If that’s with the fastball, it’s with the fastball. If it’s with something else that day, we’ll re-evaluate.”
Nelson is 0-1 with a 6.55 ERA in two career starts against Kansas City.
–Field Level Media
