Royals at Red Sox
Dismal starting pitching has been the biggest culprit during the current tailspin of the Boston Red Sox, who have lost nine of 10 entering the rubber match of a three-game set versus the visiting Kansas City Royals on Wednesday night. Left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez will go for his 14th win for Boston, which attempts to salvage a series win against Kansas City.
Boston's rotation posted a 10.95 ERA during an eight-game slide that ended with Monday's 7-5 victory, but another ragged start in Tuesday's 6-2 loss pushed the overall total to 69 runs allowed during the 1-9 swoon. Andrew Benintendi has five RBIs during a three-game hitting streak and 14 in the last 11 contests for the Red Sox, who trail Tampa Bay by 6 1/2 games for the second wild card. Jorge Soler swatted a pair of two-run homers as the Royals ended a seven-game skid overall and an eight-game slide versus Boston. Soler, whose previous high was 12 homers in 2016, became Kansas City's first right-handed batter to reach 30 since Jermaine Dye in 2000.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FS Kansas City, NESN (Boston)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Glenn Sparkman (3-7, 5.58 ERA) vs. Red Sox LH Eduardo Rodriguez (13-5, 4.19)
Sparkman was superb in his first start coming out of the All-Star break, striking out eight in a five-hit shutout of the Chicago White Sox, but he has been hit hard in three subsequent starts. The 27-year-old escaped with a no-decision despite allowing six runs over 4 2/3 innings at Minnesota, pushing his numbers in the last three starts to 19 runs and 24 hits allowed, including six home runs. Benintendi has three doubles in five at-bats versus Sparkman.
Rodriguez suffered his first loss in early two months against the New York Yankees on Friday night, giving up four runs on five hits and a season-high six walks over 6 2/3 innings. It ended a five-start winning streak and a string of seven straight victories for the 26-year-old Venezuelan, who beat Kansas City with 5 2/3 innings of two-run ball on June 4. Rodriguez is 6-1 in 11 home starts, but he must be wary of Whit Merrifield (5-for-9) and Alex Gordon (4-for-10).
WALK-OFFS
1. The Red Sox had two streaks snapped -- 18 straight games with a home run at Fenway and 12 in a row overall with a homer.
2. Soler became the second player in franchise history with at least two homers and two walks in one game.
3. Red Sox 1B J.D. Martinez, who returned from a one-game absence Tuesday, has hit safely in five in a row.