Oakland @ Kansas City preview

Oakland at Kansas City

Last Meeting ( Aug 14, 2012 ) Oakland 0, Kansas City 5

The Oakland Athletics try to avoid another shutout loss at Kauffman Stadium when they take on the Kansas City Royals in the second game of their three-game series on Wednesday. Oakland suffered a 5-0 loss in Tuesday's series opener, making it three times in four contests in Kansas City that the club has failed to score a run. The Athletics were 2-0 losers at Kauffman on both June 1 and 3.

Oakland has lost three of four overall to fall 1 1/2 games behind Baltimore and Tampa Bay for a wild-card spot in the American League. It remains six games back of the Los Angeles Angels in the West. Kansas City is attempting to win for the sixth time in eight contests. The Royals are hoping to finish 2-0-1 in their last three series as they took two of three from the White Sox in Chicago and split a four-game set at Baltimore after dropping two of three to Texas from Aug. 3-5. Kansas City failed to hit a home run Tuesday, ending its streak of eight consecutive games with at least one blast.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, CSN California (Oakland), FSN (Kansas City)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Brandon McCarthy (6-3, 2.68 ERA) vs. Royals LH Will Smith (3-4, 5.48)

McCarthy will be making a second attempt for his seventh consecutive victory. The 29-year-old returned from a shoulder injury and allowed three runs over six innings at Chicago on Friday but settled for a no-decision. McCarthy, who has yielded three runs or less in eight of his last nine outings, gave up two runs over six frames in a win at Kansas City on June 2.

Smith is seeking his second straight triumph as he makes his ninth career start. The 23-year-old allowed two runs in seven innings en route to victory at Baltimore on Thursday. Smith has yet to emerge victorious at Kauffman Stadium, going 0-3 with an 8.10 ERA in three outings.

WALK-OFFS

1. 3B Josh Donaldson, who was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento earlier Tuesday, recorded one of Oakland's three hits in the loss.

2. Royals LHP Tim Collins raised his season strikeout total to 77 with three on Tuesday, eclipsing the franchise mark for a left-handed reliever set in 2005 by Andrew Sisco.

3. Oakland is 5-7 this month after posting a 19-5 record in July.