Chicago @ Kansas City preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 25, 2011 ) Chi. Cubs 2, Kansas City 3

THE STORY: After snapping a six-game losing streak, the Kansas City Royals look to continue a potential reversal of fortune when they host a series finale against the Chicago Cubs on Sunday. The Royals prevailed Saturday 3-2 behind an infield single from second baseman Chris Getz, whose ninth-inning error helped the Cubs secure a 6-4 comeback win in Friday's series opener.

TV: 2:10 p.m. ET, Comcast SportsNet Chicago, Fox Sports Kansas City

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs RH Randy Wells (1-1, 5.70 ERA) vs. Royals RH Luke Hochevar (4-8, 4.97). Wells has been unable to find a rhythm since returning from the disabled list on May 28, yielding 19 runs (18 earned) in 24 innings over five starts. He threw a season-high 101 pitches in six innings against the New York Yankees on June 19, walking four while allowing four runs on five hits. Wells, who will be facing the Royals for the first time, is holding batters to a .194 average on the road this year but has still given up seven runs in eight innings. Hochevar has been vulnerable all season long, but a lack of run support has compounded his struggles, and he has managed only one win in his last nine starts. He performed well early in his last outing before running out of steam, yielding three seventh-inning runs in a loss to Arizona on June 21. If nothing else, Hochevar has been durable, ranking among the American League leaders with 105 innings pitched. This will be his first career appearance against the Cubs.

ABOUT THE CUBS (31-45): Chicago is 9-13 in one-run games this season and has dropped the last four such contests, all since June 18. The Cubs have often been done in by poor defense (60 errors, 33 unearned runs allowed) and a pitching staff that ranks last in the major leagues in ERA and WHIP. The quality start by righthander Carlos Zambrano on Saturday was only the 27th for the Cubs' rotation, easily the fewest in baseball. Those struggles on the mound and in the field have cut short any chance for a prolonged win streak - Chicago has yet to earn more than two victories in a row this year.

ABOUT THE ROYALS (32-45): Were it not for the Cubs, it would be Kansas City bringing up the rear in most major pitching categories - but the Royals also got a quality outing Saturday from rookie lefthander Danny Duffy, who worked a career-long seven innings, and a bullpen that has blown 10 of 24 save chances in 2011 got the job done. Such performances have been rare in the last six weeks as Kansas City has been among the worst teams in baseball (12-27 since May 12) after getting off to a promising start.

FINAL PITCH: Kansas City first baseman Eric Hosmer broke out of a 1-for-20 skid with an RBI single in the fifth inning Saturday. Hosmer is 7-for-51 since June 9 and his batting average has fallen from .309 to .262 during that stretch.