Royals look to stay hot at home in series opener vs. Rangers
Especially as they're about to begin a key four-game series at Kansas City on Monday night.
The Royals are four games behind the Yankees for the AL's final wild-card spot, while the Rangers reside 5 1/2 games in back of New York.
Kansas City recorded a 6-2 victory at home on Sunday to complete a three-game sweep of the Chicago White Sox. The Royals have won 13 of their last 18 games at Kauffman Stadium.
Jonathan India hit a two-run homer in the seventh inning to help Kansas City win on Sunday.
"All we can do is keep fighting," he told FanDuel Sports Network. "That's all we're trying to do out here, and collect wins."
Texas, meanwhile, had lost 12 of 18 games before snapping a four-game skid with a 10-4 victory at Toronto on Sunday.
"Every game is the most important game of the season," star Marcus Semien told the Rangers Sports Network. "That's the way we have to look at it.
"Kansas City is a team that is playing good baseball. ... We need to go out and do what we did (Sunday). Put up a lot of runs and have fun while we're doing it."
Texas was outscored 16-5 during a three-game home series sweep by Kansas City in June. However, the Rangers should feel confident with Jack Leiter (7-6, 3.94 ERA) slated to start the series opener.
The right-hander is 2-0 with a 2.55 ERA in his last five starts, even though he has failed to make it into the sixth inning in his last three -- all Texas losses. Leiter allowed a solo homer, three other hits and two walks over five innings in a 3-2 defeat to Arizona on Tuesday.
The long ball did in Leiter in his lone career start against the Royals on June 17. Of the six runs in 5 2/3 innings he yielded during a 6-1 loss, four came on three home runs. Salvador Perez hit a pair of homers, and Bobby Witt Jr. went deep once.
"When you see the slug against (Leiter), it's against mistakes," Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said.
Witt, Perez and Maikel Garcia went a combined 7-for-9 with six RBIs vs. Leiter in that contest. Witt is batting .382 in the last nine home games.
Scheduled Monday starter Michael Wacha (7-9, 3.35 ERA) will to continue his stellar run for the Royals, who have won his last four starts. The veteran right-hander is 3-0 with a 2.00 ERA in his last six outings.
On Tuesday against Washington, Wacha allowed two runs on five hits and two walks over 5 2/3 innings in Kansas City's 8-5 victory.
Wacha has given up a run in each of his last two starts against the Rangers. Most recently on June 19, he allowed one run on two hits over six innings in the Royals' 4-1 win. Overall, he is 1-3 with a 3.96 ERA in five career starts vs. Texas.
Semien, who is batting .203 since July 31, went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer on Sunday. He's 3-for-9 over the last two seasons against Wacha.
The Rangers' Joc Pederson has two career home runs against Wacha.
--Field Level Media
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
16 minutes ago
- Reuters
Alcaraz wins Cincinnati Open after ailing Sinner retires in final
Aug 18 (Reuters) - Carlos Alcaraz won the Cincinnati Open after top seed Jannik Sinner retired as he was feeling unwell on Monday, raising concerns about the Italian's fitness just days before he is due to begin the defence of his U.S. Open title. The Spanish second seed snapped the world number one's 26-match winning streak on hardcourts when his ailing rival signalled he could no longer continue while trailing 5-0 in the first set of the final. "This is not the way that I want to win trophies, I just have to say sorry, I can understand how you must feel now," Alcaraz told Sinner during the presentation ceremony after capturing his third Masters 1000 crown of the season following his success in Monte Carlo and Rome. "As I said many times, you are a true champion and I am sure from these situations, you are going to come back even stronger, as you always do. That's what true champions do." Sinner had been bidding to become the first man since Roger Federer in 2015 to win back-to-back Cincinnati titles but he looked uncomfortable early on in the sweltering conditions. He called it quits after 23 minutes of play. "I'm super, super sorry to disappoint you," Sinner told the crowd. "Yesterday I didn't feel great. I thought that I would improve during the night, but it came up worse. "I tried to come out, tried to make it at least a small match, but I couldn't handle more, so I'm very sorry." It was also unclear whether the Italian would be fit enough to partner Katerina Siniakova in the revamped mixed doubles event at Flushing Meadows which is due to take place on Tuesday and Wednesday. Singles action at the hardcourt major begins on Sunday. Monday's clash had been expected to be a dress-rehearsal ahead of a potential final showdown between the world's two best players in New York, with the duo having faced off in the title match at the last two majors. Alcaraz came from two sets down and saved three championship points to triumph at Roland Garros, while Sinner emerged victorious at Wimbledon. Monday's result extended Alcaraz's head-to-head record over Sinner to 9–5, including a 6–2 edge on hardcourts.
Reuters
16 minutes ago
- Reuters
Jets special teamer Kris Boyd (shoulder) on season-ending IR
August 18 - The New York Jets placed defensive back and key special teamer Kris Boyd on injured reserve Monday, ending his season. The 28-year-old was entering his first season with the Jets but during practice on Aug. 2 he suffered a shoulder injury, one serious enough that he was carted off the field. Boyd featured in all 17 regular-season games for the Houston Texans last year, but it was in the playoffs when he became widely known. On the opening kickoff of Houston's eventual loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round, Boyd forced a fumble, prematurely celebrated before the Chiefs recovered, was flagged for ripping off his helmet and then was seen shoving his special teams coach. In 81 NFL regular-season games (six starts) for the Minnesota Vikings (2019-22), Arizona Cardinals (2023) and Texans (2023-24), Boyd has amassed 105 tackles, two forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries. The Vikings had selected him in the seventh round of the 2019 draft out of Texas. --Field Level Media
Reuters
16 minutes ago
- Reuters
Cardinals place All-Star 2B Brendan Donovan (groin) on 10-day IL
August 18 - The St. Louis Cardinals placed All-Star second baseman Brendan Donovan on the 10-day injured list on Monday due to a left groin strain. The move is retroactive to Friday. Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol had said over the weekend that he expected Donovan to miss a few days because of the groin soreness that directly caused a foot injury, but that a stint on the injured list wouldn't be needed. In a corresponding move, the Cardinals recalled second baseman Jose Fermin from Triple-A Memphis. Donovan, 28, has not played since last Wednesday. Typically the team's leadoff hitter, Donovan is batting .279 this season with a .348 on-base percentage, which rank third and second-best, respectively, among the team's regular starters. He has nine home runs, 45 RBIs, 25 doubles and 63 strikeouts to 40 walks on the season. St. Louis selected Donovan in the seventh round of the 2018 MLB Draft. He is a career .280 hitter with 39 homers and 197 RBIs in 484 regular-season games. Fermin, 26, is batting .350 with one home run, two RBIs, a .409 on-base percentage and 1.009 OPS in 12 major league games this year. --Field Level Media
