Preview: White Sox At Royals
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[May 19, 2014]
The Kansas City Royals' offense
finally showed signs of life in the finale of their four-game weekend
set, and they'll try to keep it going against a rookie pitcher when they
open a three-game series with the visiting Chicago White Sox on Monday.
The Royals scored just two runs in their first three games against
Baltimore over the weekend but broke out Sunday for an 8-6 win to
salvage a split.
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Chicago dropped two of three at Houston over the weekend and has
lost six of eight overall.The White Sox hope to provide some run
support for right-hander Scott Carroll after being shut out in two
of the last three games he has started, but they'll have to do so
without rookie slugger Jose Abreu, who landed on the disabled list
Sunday with an ankle injury. Veterans Adam Dunn and Paul Konerko
will need to pick up the slack with Abreu out, and both have hit
scheduled Royals starter Jason Vargas well - Konerko is 7-for-16
with a homer against the left-hander while Dunn is 3-for-7 with two
blasts. Kansas City looks to Vargas to continue the strong
performance on the mound that has kept the team afloat despite
owning one of the worst offenses in the American League.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, CSN (Chicago), FSN (Kansas City)
PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox RH Scott Carroll (1-3, 5.24 ERA) vs.
Royals LH Jason Vargas (4-1, 3.00)
Carroll was outstanding in his first two career starts, allowing
just one earned run over 13 1/3 innings, but he has been roughed up
his last two times out. He surrendered six runs and 11 hits for the
second straight outing Tuesday at Oakland, lasting just five frames
while dropping his third straight start. The 29-year-old has allowed
three homers in his last two turns after not giving up any in his
first two outings.
Vargas' hot start faded into two sub-par outings, but he has
rebounded with back-to-back wins in which he has allowed two runs
over 13 2/3 innings. The 31-year-old racked up a season-high eight
strikeouts Wednesday against Colorado while giving up two runs and
five hits in 6 2/3 frames. Vargas is 1-1 with a 6.31 ERA in seven
games (six starts) against the White Sox.
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WALK-OFFS
1. Chicago 3B Conor Gillaspie is 9-for-22 during his six-game
hitting streak and has hit safely in 24 of the 26 games in which he
has played this season.
2. Royals 1B Billy Butler snapped out of a 2-for-20 slump by going
3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs Sunday. Butler is a career .278
hitter versus the White Sox, and his 17 homers against them are his
most versus any opponent.
3. White Sox 2B Gordon Beckham failed to reach base Sunday for just
the second time in 21 games but is 5-for-13 with a homer against
Vargas.
PREDICTION: Royals 6, White Sox 3
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