Kansas City @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( May 26, 2015 ) Kansas City 1, NY Yankees 5

The Kansas City Royals appear to be the cure for whatever was ailing the New York Yankees. The Yankees attempt to complete a three-game sweep and earn their fourth win in the last 14 games – all over the Royals – when they host Kansas City in the series finale on Wednesday afternoon.

New York had dropped six in a row following a 5-1 triumph at Kansas City on May 16 before breaking out with two wins by a combined 19-2 score in the first two games of the current series. The Yankees' pitching staff allowed an average of 7.8 runs during the six-game slide but turned things around completely behind solid starts from Nathan Eovaldi and Adam Warren. The Royals’ starters have been a little bit less effective, with Jeremy Guthrie recording only three outs while surrendering 11 runs on Monday and Jason Vargas lasting four frames a day later. Kansas City has dropped three straight overall, allowing 25 runs while scoring just three.

TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, FSN Kansas City, YES (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Chris Young (4-0, 0.78 ERA) vs. Yankees RH Michael Pineda (5-2, 3.59)

Young continues to impress since moving into the rotation as he has allowed only one run in his four starts. That lone run came against the Yankees on May 15, when Young scattered four hits over 5 2/3 innings to pick up the win. The Princeton product followed that outing with six scoreless frames against St. Louis on Friday.

Pineda turned in one of the best starts in franchise history on May 10 with 16 strikeouts and no walks but has struggled to find that form in his last two outings. The Dominican was reached for seven runs (four earned) and eight hits in six innings against Texas on Friday. Pineda went up against Young in that outing and absorbed the loss after allowing five runs and 10 hits in 5 1/3 frames.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Royals' staff allowed a total of three runs during a five-game winning streak before the team's current three-game slide.

2. New York leads the major leagues with 50 first-inning runs.

3. Kansas City RHP Wade Davis worked a scoreless inning on Tuesday and has yet to allow a run in 20 appearances.

PREDICTION: Royals 4, Yankees 1