Boston @ Kansas City preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 14, 2014 ) Boston 8, Kansas City 4

The Kansas City Royals are back on track after dropping nine of 11 during a rough stretch in late May and early June. One night after helping Ned Yost become the winningest manager in club history by completing a four-game sweep against his previous employer, the Royals eye their ninth victory in 11 tries on Friday when they begin a three-game series at home against the Boston Red Sox.

Kansas City downed Milwaukee 3-2 on Thursday to give Yost his 411th win, allowing him to pass Whitey Herzog on the team’s all-time list. The American League Central-leading Royals blitzed the team with the second-worst record in the majors during the home-and-home set, outscoring the Brewers 28-11 to bounce back from a pair of losses to St. Louis last weekend. Although Friday will mark the first meeting of the season between the last two teams to win the pennant in the AL, Boston finds itself in the cellar in the East – nine games behind Tampa Bay. The Red Sox stopped a seven-game road losing streak with Thursday’s 5-2 victory over Atlanta and have won two of three following a seven-game slide.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), FSN Kansas City

PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox LH Eduardo Rodriguez (2-1, 3.55 ERA) vs. Royals RH Yohan Pino (0-1, 0.64)

Rodriguez was pummeled for nine runs over 4 2/3 innings en route to the first loss of his major-league career on Sunday against Toronto. The 22-year-old Venezuelan was scintillating over his first three big-league turns, allowing one earned run in 20 2/3 innings since making his debut on May 28. Rodriguez did not give a run in either one of his first two starts on the road, where he is holding opposing batters to a .130 average.

Pino was recalled from Triple-A Omaha on Thursday and will make his first start as a Royal after the team placed Yordano Ventura (right ulnar nerve inflammation) on the disabled list in a corresponding move. The 31-year-old was mostly brilliant in six relief appearances for Kansas City, surrendering his only earned run over 3 1/3 innings on May 11 before he was sent to the minors the following day. Pino, who posted a 2-5 record with a 5.07 ERA in 11 starts with Minnesota last season, went 4-2 with a 4.93 ERA with Omaha.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Royals pounded out at least 10 hits in each contest during their four-game sweep of Milwaukee, batting .379 with 12 extra-base hits.

2. Boston is 3-12 on the road since last winning consecutive away games May 13-14.

3. Red Sox 2B Dustin Pedroia, who has missed two of the last three games with knee inflammation, remains day-to-day.

PREDICTION: Royals 4, Red Sox 3