Rays at Royals (Game 2)
The Tampa Bay Rays own the best record in baseball as the calendar turns to May and look to add two more victories when they visit the struggling Kansas City Royals for a doubleheader Wednesday afternoon. Ji-Man Choi, Tommy Pham and Yandy Diaz each knocked in a pair of runs during Monday’s 8-5 victory over the Royals to open the series before Tuesday’s game was washed out by rain.
The Rays led the majors in ERA (2.95) as April ended Tuesday and their offense has produced 28 runs while winning five of the last six games overall and improving to 10-2 on the road with four straight victories away from home. “You’ve got to be happy the way this club has come out of the gate strong,” Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash told reporters. “We felt like we were balanced and if you had a one-month review, you’d be happy with what you see.” The Royals are near the bottom of the league in pitching numbers and have dropped eight of their last 10 games after falling behind by four runs in two innings Monday before rallying within one twice. Third baseman Hunter Dozier is wielding the hottest bat for Kansas City of late, going 13-for-25 with seven RBIs during an eight-game hitting streak to raise his batting average to .349.
TV: 5 p.m. ET, FS Sun (Tampa Bay), FS Kansas City
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays LH Blake Snell (2-2, 2.54 ERA) vs. Royals RH Glenn Sparkman (0-1, 8.10)
Snell yielded three runs on five hits and two walks over 3 1/3 innings in a loss to Kansas City last Wednesday after missing one start due to a toe injury. The 26-year-old reigning American League Cy Young Award winner had allowed one run across 19 innings in his previous three turns with 33 strikeouts and two walks combined while posting two wins. Whit Merrifield is 4-for-7 with a homer against Snell, who is 1-2 in his career versus the Royals.
Sparkman is expected to make his first start of the season and fourth of his major league career after going 0-1 with a 4.15 ERA in three chances at the role in 2018. The 26-year-old Texan has made three appearances out of the bullpen this year, permitting six runs on 13 hits with two walks and three strikeouts across 6 2/3 innings overall. Willy Adames has homered against Sparkman, who gave up three runs over four innings in a loss to the Rays last season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Kansas City SS Adalberto Mondesi is 12-for-34 with 10 of his team-high 24 RBIs in the last eight contests.
2. Diaz is 6-for-15 in the last four games and boasts nine RBIs in his past six contests - six of those against Kansas City.
3. Royals 3B Kelvin Gutierrez is 4-for-11 with three RBIs and a walk in his first three major league games.