Preview: Royals at White Sox

[September 29, 2015]  A makeup game may have taken its toll in more ways than one on the Kansas City Royals, who kicked off their season-ending seven-game road trip Monday with an 11-inning, 1-0 loss to the Chicago Cubs. Kansas City now ventures to the south side of Chicago to open a three-game series against the American League Central-rival White Sox on Tuesday.

Monday's setback dropped the Royals one game behind Toronto for the best record in the AL, which essentially is a two-game deficit since the Blue Jays own the tiebreaker. Kansas City's chances of overtaking Toronto appear increasingly slim since the team has not won more than two games in a row since a three-game run from Aug. 27-29. The White Sox have dropped five of six entering their season-ending six-game homestand and were limited to two runs or fewer in four of the five setbacks. Jeff Samardzija will look to build on his masterpiece from last time out for the White Sox when he opposes Kansas City's Johnny Cueto.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FSN Kansas City, WPWR (Chicago)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Johnny Cueto (10-12, 3.45 ERA) vs. White Sox RH Jeff Samardzija (10-13, 5.04)

Cueto went seven innings for the second straight outing, limiting Seattle to three runs and seven hits Thursday as Kansas City clinched the AL Central title. He also ended an ugly five-start skid in his previous turn with seven frames of two-run ball at Detroit after being knocked around for 30 runs and 48 hits during the 0-5 drought. One of those losses was to the White Sox on Sept. 6, when he gave up five runs in only three innings.

Samardzija is coming off his best performance of the season - a complete-game gem against Detroit in which he permitted one hit without walking a batter to win for only the second time in 10 starts. It ended a wretched 1-8 stretch for Samardzija, who had been battered for 51 runs over his previous nine turns. The former Notre Dame star has lost all three starts against the Royals this season, giving up 16 runs over 17 2/3 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Royals 3B Mike Moustakas is 6-for-15 with a homer, three doubles, four RBIs and four runs scored in his last four games.

2. White Sox CF Adam Eaton, who has hit safely in 15 of his last 16 contests, went 8-for-15 during a three-game sweep at Kansas City earlier this month.

3. Royals CF Lorenzo Cain is 9-for-23 over his last five games.

PREDICTION: Royals 4, White Sox 3

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