White Sox at Royals
The Kansas City Royals have been firing on all cylinders since returning from the All-Star break, and it was quite evident in Tuesday's blowout victory. The club looks to improve to 5-1 on its seven-game homestand when it takes on the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday in the third contest of their four-game series.
Kansas City routed Chicago 11-0 behind a 14-hit attack and a five-hitter by Glenn Sparkman, who surrendered 17 runs and 25 hits over 14 2/3 innings in his previous three starts. Hunter Dozier has gone 7-for-16 with five RBIs over his last four games after going 3-for-5 with a home run and three RBIs on Tuesday while All-Star Whit Merrifield, who has yet to go back-to-back contests without a hit, is riding a 14-game hitting streak after a 3-for-5 performance that included a two-run, inside-the-park homer. Cheslor Cuthbert has collected six of his 22 RBIs on the season over his last five games after driving in a run in Tuesday's triumph. Jon Jay has hit safely in 12 of his 15 contests this season and is in the midst of a six-game streak after recording one of the five singles by Chicago, which has lost seven of its last eight games - including all five thus far during its 10-game road trip.
TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, NBCS Chicago, FS Kansas City
PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox RH Ivan Nova (4-8, 5.60 ERA) vs. Royals LH Danny Duffy (3-5, 4.64)
Nova, who has won just one of his last nine starts, suffered his fourth loss in that span on Friday as he yielded four runs and 10 hits - three homers - over six innings at Oakland. However, the 32-year-old Dominican has had better results this season on the road, where he has gone 3-4 with a 4.66 ERA over 11 turns as opposed to a 1-4 record and 7.14 ERA in eight outings at home. Nova is 2-1 with a 5.17 ERA in six career starts against Kansas City, including a pair of no-decisions this year in which he allowed five runs and 12 hits over 10 1/3 frames.
Duffy exited his start against Detroit on Friday in the third inning as he was hit in the hand by a line drive. The 30-year-old Californian escaped with a no-decision after surrendering four runs on six hits and two walks in two-plus frames. Duffy, who has suffered four losses during his nine-start winless streak, is 9-6 with one complete game and a 4.09 ERA in 24 career contests (22 starts) against the White Sox.
WALK-OFFS
1. White Sox LF Eloy Jimenez left Tuesday's contest in the first inning with a sore right elbow, which he suffered in a collision with CF Charles Tilson, while Royals SS Adalberto Mondesi departed in the fifth with an apparent left shoulder injury after landing hard while attempting to catch a foul pop.
2. Kansas City recalled Meibrys Viloria from Double-A Northwest Arkansas on Tuesday after trading fellow C Martin Maldonado to the Chicago Cubs for LHP Mike Montgomery the previous day.
3. The White Sox activated Welington Castillo (oblique) from the 10-day injured list and optioned fellow C Zack Collins to Triple-A Charlotte.