Milwaukee @ Kansas City preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 17, 2015 ) Milwaukee 2, Kansas City 10

The Kansas City Royals and their lineup full of All-Star leading vote getters are having little trouble carving up the Milwaukee pitching staff. The Royals will try to complete a four-game, home-and-home sweep when they host the Brewers in the finale on Thursday.

Kansas City, which had the leading vote getters at every position in the American League except for one outfield spot when the latest results were released earlier this week, has totaled 25 runs in taking the first three games of the series. Milwaukee hung close in an 8-5 loss in Monday’s opener but has been outscored 17-4 over the last two games to extend its losing streak to five straight. Brewers pitchers are allowing an average of 7.2 runs in that slide while the offense has been held to two or fewer in four of the five games. The Royals will take their shots at Milwaukee right-hander Jimmy Nelson, who opposes Jeremy Guthrie in the finale.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1

PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers RH Jimmy Nelson (3-7, 4.60 ERA) vs. Royals RH Jeremy Guthrie (4-4, 5.79)

Nelson sandwiched one scoreless outing around a pair of duds in his last three starts. The Alabama product, who was reached for six earned runs at St. Louis on June 3, surrendered seven runs on 10 hits in five innings to suffer a loss to Washington on Saturday. Nelson is making his first career start against the Royals and is 2-4 with a 4.66 ERA in seven road starts this season.

Guthrie allowed 11 runs in one inning at the New York Yankees on May 25 but has recovered by holding his last three opponents to a total of six runs in 17 frames. The Stanford product did not earn a win in any of those three outings and is 0-2 in his last four. Guthrie’s last win came against another National League Central team, holding Cincinnati scoreless over six innings on May 20.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Royals signed their first-round draft pick, RHP Ashe Russell, on Wednesday.

2. Brewers CF Carlos Gomez (hip) served as DH on Wednesday and is expected to return to the outfield soon.

3. Kansas City SS Alcides Escobar has recorded six RBIs in the series.

PREDICTION: Royals 8, Brewers 4