Kansas City @ Tampa Bay preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 9, 2011 ) Kansas City 0, Tampa Bay 4

THE STORY: The Tampa Bay Rays may have their best chance to get back into the playoff race in the next eight days. They have two games left with the struggling Kansas City Royals at home before going on the road to take on the New York Yankees for three and the Boston Red Sox for three, including a doubleheader. The Rays, who have won five of seven games, will send Wade Davis to the mound to start the critical stretch Wednesday night against the Royals, who have lost four of five. The Royals have scored more than four runs only once in their last 19 games at Tropicana Field, going 4-15.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FS Kansas City, SunSports (Tampa Bay)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Felipe Paulino (1-8, 4.19 ERA) vs. Rays RH Wade Davis (8-7, 4.55).

Paulino is 1-4 since being acquired from Colorado, but has allowed three or less runs in seven of 11 starts. He gave up three runs over 6 2/3 innings in his last start against Detroit, with a no-decision. Paulino has 84 strikeouts in 88 innings. He is 3-7 in domed stadiums in his career. Paulino made his first start against the Rays on July 24, allowing four runs over 5 2/3 innings. Davis did not get a decision, giving up three runs over 7 2/3 innings against Toronto on Thursday. Two starts earlier, Davis allowed six runs - five earned - and 11 hits in 5 1/3 innings to lose at Kansas City. He is 1-1 lifetime against the Royals with a 3.26 ERA in 19 1/3 innings. Alex Gordon is 3-for-6 with a homer and two RBIs against Davis.

ABOUT THE ROYALS (49-67): The Kansas City offense has cooled off. The Royals have scored 11 runs in their last five games and one in the first two games of this series. Gordon has slowed down, going 2-for-20 in the last five games. Billy Butler is only 2-for-19 in his last five games after a torrid streak. Eric Hosmer had a five-game hit streak snapped Tuesday. The lone bright spot Tuesday was that Mike Moustakas and Alcides Escobar - the eighth and ninth hitters - had two hits apiece. Moustakas was 2-for-24 in his previous seven games and Escobar 2-for-19 in his last five.

ABOUT THE RAYS (61-54): Evan Longoria hopes this is the streak that he can sustain through the end of the season. The third baseman is a modest 7-for-26 the last six games, but has three homers and nine RBIs in that stretch. Longoria is still batting .229, but has improved to 17 homers and 62 RBIs in 86 games. Johnny Damon, who came in with only two hits in his last 31 at-bats, had a pair of singles Tuesday. He also stole a base, leaving him four short of 400 in his career. Infielder Sean Rodriguez has played solid defense, but is only 2-for-23 his last eight games.

FINAL PITCH: The Royals are expected to call up highly regarded 21-year-old catcher Salvador Perez on Wednesday, according to the Kansas City Star. Catcher Brayan Pena is expected to leave the team for the birth of his child.