Chicago @ Kansas City preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 19, 2015 ) Kansas City 4, Chi. White Sox 1

The Kansas City Royals are running away with the American League Central but are not playing particularly well of late. The Royals will try to pick up their third win in the last nine games when they host the opener of a three-game series against the Chicago White Sox on Friday.

Kansas City made two of the biggest moves in front of the trade deadline by importing Ben Zobrist and Johnny Cueto – two moves with October in mind – but have lost both games started by Cueto and are 2-5 with Zobrist in the lineup. The Royals have a chance to get back on track with a 10-game homestand that begins on Friday, and they are a sturdy 34-18 in their own park. The White Sox avoided a three-game sweep at home with a 6-5 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday but have dropped five of seven to give their wild card hopes a big hit. Chicago will ask John Danks to continue his dominance of Kansas City in Friday’s opener while the Royals counter with Edinson Volquez.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, CSN Chicago, FSN Kansas City

PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox LH John Danks (6-8, 4.80 ERA) vs. Royals RH Edinson Volquez (10-6, 3.20)

Danks is 9-1 with a 2.60 ERA in 19 career starts against Kansas City, including scattering four hits across six scoreless innings in a win on July 17. The veteran Texan surrendered one or no runs in four of his last six starts but was reached for six earned in each of the other two. Danks held the New York Yankees to one run on three hits and four walks while striking out eight in 5 2/3 innings to grab a win on Saturday.

Volquez extended his stretch of allowing three or fewer runs to six straight starts by holding Toronto to two over six frames on Sunday but ended up with the loss in a 5-2 final. The Dominican Republic native topped out at six innings in each of his last two starts, due in part to a total of eight walks in those turns. Volquez was on the losing end of Danks’ gem on July 17, when he surrendered two runs and eight hits in 6 1/3 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. White Sox RF Avisail Garcia has hit safely in five straight games and homered in each of the last two.

2. Kansas City 1B Eric Homser recorded multiple hits in 12 of his last 18 games, beginning with a pair of hits in a win at Chicago on July 18.

3. Chicago LHP Zach Duke allowed at least one run in four of his last seven appearances and was charged with a blown save in each of his last two.

PREDICTION: Royals 4, White Sox 2