Baltimore @ Kansas City preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 25, 2015 ) Baltimore 2, Kansas City 3

Johnny Cueto attempts to bounce back from his worst start in a Kansas City uniform when the Royals host the Baltimore Orioles in Wednesday's third contest of a four-game set. Cueto was torched for seven runs (six earned) and 13 hits in six innings while losing to the Boston Red Sox on Friday.

Cueto compiled a 1.80 ERA in his first four starts for Kansas City after being acquired from the Cincinnati Reds in late July. He will be looking to pitch the Royals to their third consecutive win in the series, fifth straight overall and 10th in 12 games. While Kansas City is going strong and owns the best record (77-48) in the American League, the Orioles have dropped a season-worst six straight games and are 2 1/2 games behind the Texas Rangers for the second wild-card spot. After a torrid stretch in which he belted 15 homers in 23 games, Baltimore first baseman Chris Davis hasn't gone deep in the past 10 contests and is 0-for-15 with eight strikeouts in the last four games.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, MASN2 (Baltimore), FSN Kansas City

PITCHING MATCHUP: Orioles LH Wei-Yin Chen (7-6, 3.13 ERA) vs. Royals RH Johnny Cueto (9-8, 2.70)

Chen is 2-0 over his last three starts and has allowed four runs in 19 1/3 innings during the stretch. He wasn't involved in the decision against Minnesota in his last turn when he gave up one run and seven hits in six innings. Chen is 1-1 with a 4.17 ERA in six career starts against Kansas City and has struggled against first baseman Eric Hosmer (7-for-17, two homers) and versatile Ben Zobrist (13-for-35, one homer).

Cueto's poor outing against the Red Sox came after he allowed one run in 17 innings while winning back-to-back starts. He is averaging only 4.8 strikeouts per turn since joining the Royals after fanning 6.3 per start in 19 outings for Cincinnati. Cueto hasn't issued a bases on balls in any of his past three outings and has walked four in 36 innings with Kansas City.

WALK-OFFS

1. Baltimore 3B Manny Machado was hitless in five at-bats Tuesday and is 4-for-26 with no RBIs during the team's six-game skid.

2. Kansas City 3B Mike Moustakas is 9-for-24 with three homers, three doubles and eight RBIs during a six-game hitting streak.

3. Orioles RF Gerardo Parra, who is 3-for-17 over the past four games, is 7-for-23 with two homers and three doubles against Cueto from when both players were in the National League.

PREDICTION: Royals 6, Orioles 0