Royals at White Sox
Yoan Moncada is coming off the first multi-homer performance of his career as he looks to help the Chicago White Sox complete a three-game sweep of the visiting Kansas City Royals on Wednesday afternoon. Moncada hit two of Chicago's four homers in Tuesday's 5-1 triumph while raising his batting average to .333.
Leury Garcia hit a two-run shot and Yonder Alonso broke out of a slump by going 4-for-4 with a blast as the White Sox won for the fourth time in five games. Alonso was just 7-for-46 on the season before Tuesday's strong effort, which raised his average 68 points to .220. Lucas Duda's homer accounted for Kansas City's lone run on Tuesday as he has gone deep in two of his last three contests after beginning the season with a nine-game drought. Hunter Dozier went 0-for-3 to halt his string of five consecutive multi-hit performances.
TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, FS Kansas City, NBCS Chicago
PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Brad Keller (2-1, 2.45 ERA) vs. White Sox RH Lucas Giolito (2-1, 6.19)
Keller gave up one run and three hits while registering a career-best 10 strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings of a victory over Cleveland in his last outing. The 23-year-old issued five bases on balls and has given up nearly as many walks (13) as hits (15) in 25 2/3 frames this year. Keller dominated the White Sox on March 28, when he allowed just two hits in seven scoreless innings while recording the victory to improve to 3-1 with a 2.90 ERA in eight career appearances (five starts) versus the club.
Giolito defeated the New York Yankees in his last start but wasn't particularly sharp as he allowed six runs - four earned - and six hits over five innings. The 24-year-old was much better in his first outing of the season, when he gave up two runs and three hits with eight strikeouts in 6 2/3 frames while beating the Royals on March 31. Giolito always has fared well against Kansas City as he sports a 4-0 record with a 2.40 ERA and .184 opponents' batting average in seven career outings.
WALK-OFFS
1. White Sox SS Tim Anderson was hitless in three at-bats on Tuesday, dropping his average to .421.
2. Kansas City C Martin Maldonado (illness) was scratched from Tuesday's lineup but hopes to return for the series finale.
3. Chicago RF Daniel Palka fanned twice in three hitless at-bats on Tuesday and is 0-for-32 with 15 strikeouts this season.