Yankees at Royals (Game 2)
The New York Yankees have been taking advantage of struggling teams for the better part of May to build a 2 1/2-game lead in the American League East. The Yankees will take on another such opponent beginning Saturday, when they visit the Kansas City Royals for a split doubleheader after Friday's scheduled series opener was rained out.
New York was 2 1/2 games out of first place in the East at the end of last month but has feasted on the likes of Seattle and Baltimore since May 6 to emerge with one of the best records in the AL (32-17). The Yankees have won six straight series and improved to 15-4 over that time following Thursday's 6-5 road victory over the Orioles, completing a four-game sweep after Aaron Hicks drew a tiebreaking, bases-loaded walk in the ninth inning. New York brings a five-game winning streak into Kansas City, which dropped three of four when the teams met last month. The AL Central-worst Royals split a doubleheader in St. Louis on Wednesday but have not played four of the last five days due to severe storms in the Missouri area.
TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, WPIX (New York), FS Kansas City
PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Chad Green (0-2, 12.41 ERA) vs. Royals RH Jorge Lopez (3-5, 5.69)
New York planned to use Green as an opener for the second time in six days before Friday's game was washed away but could stay on course and have him start the nightcap against the Royals, making it his third appearance this week. The 28-year-old native of South Carolina gave up a pair of solo homers to Tampa Bay in his first start on Sunday before working an inning of perfect relief Wednesday at Baltimore. Green has yielded three runs and four hits over one frame in two relief appearances versus Kansas City this season
Lopez is coming off a strong relief outing on Wednesday in which he worked two scoreless innings, but he has posted a 9.00 ERA while dropping each of his three starts this month. The most recent of those turns was on May 15, when he surrendered five runs over 5 2/3 frames versus Texas. Clint Frazier is 1-for-4 with a three-run homer against Lopez, who did not factor in the decision at New York on April 21 after yielding five runs in seven innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Torres, who drew a walk as a pinch-hitter and scored the eventual game-winning run on Thursday, is batting .405 with seven homers, 10 RBIs and 11 runs scored during his 11-game hitting streak.
2. Kansas City SS Adalberto Mondesi's 17 stolen bases are more than the season totals of seven teams.
3. New York is averaging 9.4 runs over its last five contests after scoring 3.3 per game over its previous nine.