Kansas City @ Minnesota preview
Target Field
Last Meeting ( Sep 11, 2012 ) Kansas City 9, Minnesota 1
The Kansas City Royals attempt to clinch their second straight series victory Wednesday when they face the Minnesota Twins in the middle game of their three-game series at Target Field. Kansas City entered this series having won two of three against the Chicago White Sox over the weekend as it kicked off a six-game road trip. The Royals got off to a great start versus the Twins as Will Smith pitched seven scoreless innings and Lorenzo Cain recorded three hits and two RBIs in Tuesday's 9-1 win.
The Royals have won only six of their 16 meetings with Minnesota, which had its three-game winning streak snapped. The Twins, who captured two of three in Kansas City earlier this month, may have Denard Span back in the lineup. Span, who has been out since Aug. 28 with a right shoulder injury, is hitting .286 with three home runs and 35 RBIs in 108 games.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FSN (Kansas City, Minnesota)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Luke Hochevar (7-13, 5.36 ERA) vs. Twins RH P.J. Walters (2-3, 6.05)
Hochevar will attempt to snap a personal four-game losing streak as he faces Minnesota for the fourth time this season and second time in three starts. Three days shy of his 29th birthday, he was battered by the Twins on Sept. 1, surrendering eight runs and six hits in just 1 2/3 innings. Hochevar, who last won on July 31 against Cleveland, is coming off a no-decision versus Texas in which he yielded four runs over 6 1/3 frames.
Walters was unsuccessful in his first start after a lengthy stay on the disabled list due to shoulder inflammation, allowing six runs over five innings in a loss at Chicago last Wednesday. The 27-year-old is 0-2 in five outings since tossing his first career complete game on the road against the White Sox on May 22. Walters, who is 0-2 in four home starts, will be facing Kansas City for the first time.
WALK-OFFS
1. Hochevar is 4-5 lifetime against Minnesota, including an 0-2 mark this season.
2. Kansas City C Salvador Perez enters with a 15-game hitting streak during which he is batting .365 with nine RBIs.
3. Twins C Joe Mauer, who was scratched due to back spasms on Tuesday, is 14-for-27 (.519) lifetime against Hochevar with two home runs and seven RBIs.