Kansas City @ Boston preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 20, 2015 ) Kansas City 1, Boston 4

The Boston Red Sox hired Dave Dombrowski as president of baseball operations this week, just in time for him to watch the farm system nurtured under former general manger Ben Cherington start to blossom. The surging Red Sox will try to ride that youth to a fourth straight win when they host the American League-leading Kansas City Royals in the second of a four-game series on Friday.

Boston made the change at the top of baseball operations on their way to a third last-place finish in the last four years, and Dombrowski is in full evaluation mode over the final weeks of the season. The front office veteran has to like what he has seen so far from 25-and-under players like Mookie Betts, Xander Bogaerts, Travis Shaw and Jackie Bradley Jr., who combined for seven of the Red Sox’s 10 hits in Thursday’s 4-1 series-opening win. The Royals had a five-game winning streak come to an end with the loss but are in no danger of surrendering their spot atop the AL Central. Kansas City will send new ace Johnny Cueto to the mound looking to even the series while the Red Sox counter with another promising youngster, rookie left-hander Henry Owens.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSN Kansas City, NESN (Boston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Johnny Cueto (9-7, 2.46 ERA) vs. Red Sox LH Henry Owens (1-1, 6.19)

Cueto has turned in four consecutive quality starts since jumping to the AL and is looking for his third straight win. The Dominican Republic native allowed a total of one run on 12 hits and no walks over 17 innings in his last two starts. Cueto is making his first career appearance against Boston and has yet to win on the road as a member of the Royals.

Owens flashed some dominant stuff against Seattle on Sunday but also battled some inconsistency. The 23-year-old worked six innings and struck out 10 while walking one but was reached for seven runs and 10 hits in a no decision. Owens managed a total of seven strikeouts over 10 innings in his first two major-league outings.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Red Sox are 5-2 under Torey Lovullo, who took over as manager when John Farrell announced he was beginning cancer treatment.

2. Kansas City CF Lorenzo Cain is 2-for-18 over the last four games.

3. Bradley’s last nine hits have gone for extra bases, including an RBI triple on Thursday.

PREDICTION: Royals 4, Red Sox 1