Chicago @ Kansas City preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 18, 2012 ) Chi. White Sox 3, Kansas City 2

Chris Sale is among five pitchers who could win the American League Cy Young Award but might fare better in MVP voting. Sale will try for his 18th victory and the Chicago White Sox go for their sixth straight win when they visit the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday in the second of a three-game series. Sale is tied for third in the American League in wins and second in ERA at 2.78, and is the biggest reason the White Sox lead the Detroit Tigers by three games in the AL Central with 15 to play. The White Sox, who do not have another starter with a better-than-.500 record, have won only six of 16 games against the Royals in 2012 after Tuesday's 3-2 victory, but Sale has won three of them.

Third-place Kansas City, which appears headed for its best Central Division finish in nine years, sends Bruce Chen to the mound. Chen, who is 2-1 in four starts against the White Sox since the All-Star break, is 0-2 in his last three outings overall, including a 5-4 loss at Chicago on Sept. 8 when he yielded three homers. This will be his fifth straight start against a playoff contender, and eighth in the last nine.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, WCIU (Chicago), FS Kansas City

PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox LH Chris Sale (17-6, 2.78 ERA) vs. Royals LH Bruce Chen (10-12, 5.42)

Sale was 1-3 with a 6.60 ERA in his last five road starts prior to allowing three hits and striking out six in shutout innings in Chicago's 6-0 victory at Minnesota on Friday. Sale held the Royals to one run and five hits in six innings in the White Sox's 5-4 victory over the Royals on Sept. 8. Sale is 1-1 with a 3.06 ERA at Kauffman Stadium this season and is 4-4, 3.00 lifetime against Kansas City. Sale should get at least two more starts following this one and could come back on three days' rest to pitch the regular-season finale if needed.

Chen has pitched at least six innings in six straight starts and is 2-2 with a pair of no-decisions in that span. He has allowed at least five runs in each of his last three starts, including the Chicago game when he yielded home runs to Dayan Viciedo, Tyler Flowers and Paul Konerko. He is 5-5 with a 3.91 ERA in 19 games (14 starts) against the White Sox. Chicago's roster is hitting .235 against Chen. Paul Konerko is hitting .220 against him, but five of his nine hits are homers. A.J. Pierzynski is 15-for-36 (.417) with two homers.

WALK-OFFS

1. Royals RHP Luis Mendoza was the scheduled starter Wednesday but has strep throat.

2. Billy Butler delivered a two-run single in the first inning Tuesday and has a career-high 97 RBIs this season. He is 7-for-20 with three homers and six RBIs against Sale.

3. Kansas City's Alex Gordon hit his major league-leading 48th double Tuesday.