Kansas City @ Toronto preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 23, 2011 ) Kansas City 6, Toronto 4

THE STORY: Ricky Romero has been one of the hottest pitchers in the majors over his past five starts. He'll look to extend that streak of stinginess Wednesday when his Toronto Blue Jays continue their three-game series against the visiting Kansas City Royals. Romero will be opposed by the Royals' Luke Hochevar, who has fallen on hard times over the past three weeks.

TV: 7:07 p.m. ET, FS Kansas City, Rogers Sportsnet

PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Luke Hochevar (8-10, 4.93 ERA) vs. Blue Jays LH Ricky Romero (12-9, 2.73).

Hochevar looked to be putting it all together during a three-game winning streak that opened his second half. Since then, the 27-year-old has lost a tight pitching duel in Tampa Bay before posting back-to-back rough outings in losses to the Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox. Hochevar has a 3-1 career mark against the Blue Jays with a 3.16 ERA in four starts. The past month has brought out the very best in Romero, who has surrendered only four runs on 14 hits in his previous five starts spanning 40 1/3 innings. The 26-year-old is coming off a complete-game three-hit shutout against Oakland, his second of the season. Romero is 1-1 with a 3.60 ERA in two career starts against the Royals. One of those outings was a complete-game loss June 9.

ABOUT THE ROYALS (53-76): Tuesday's 6-4 victory was highlighted by a four-hit performance by Jeff Francoeur that almost didn't happen. Francoeur had let his passport expire prior to the start of the series, and was forced to make an emergency flight to Chicago in order to obtain a new one in time. After several hours of waiting, Francoeur was issued a new passport - and he put it to immediate use, fashioning his fifth multi-hit effort in the last 10 games. Francoeur could be in tough against Romero, having gone only 1-for-6 against him in his career. The Royals' roster is hitting a collective .244 against Wednesday's starter, with zero home runs in 45 at-bats.

ABOUT THE BLUE JAYS (65-63): Toronto continued remodeling its roster Tuesday, shipping infielders Aaron Hill and John McDonald to Arizona for struggling second baseman Kelly Johnson. With all three players set to become free agents at season's end, the move allows the Blue Jays to give Johnson a five-week audition in their infield with an eye toward either re-signing him in the off-season, or letting him go and obtaining a compensatory draft pick. Johnson isn't expected to join the club until Thursday. The Blue Jays haven't done much against Hochevar, batting .212 with zero home runs in 52 at-bats. Rajai Davis and Adam Lind are the only Toronto players with more than one hit off him.

FINAL PITCH: All four runs Romero has surrendered in his past five starts have come via the solo home run.