The Kansas City Royals are playing their best baseball of the young season.
They also remain at their best against the Chicago White Sox.
Winners of three straight amid a 12-2 stretch, the Royals aim for an eighth consecutive victory over the visiting White Sox on Tuesday night.
After clubbing 10 home runs in winning the final two games at Baltimore, Kansas City played some smaller ball and got stellar pitching during Monday’s 3-0 win versus Chicago. Cole Ragans struck out 11 over five innings, while Bobby Witt Jr. had two hits with an RBI and Maikel Garcia also had an RBI single — and each grabbed two steals — for the Royals, who have outscored opponents 60-31 and posted five shutouts in the last 14 contests.
“That’s fun for us,” Garcia told the Royals’ official website.
“We play hard.”
Garcia is batting .404 in his last 14 games. He’s hitting .346 with six steals and 10 runs scored in the last seven versus Chicago.
Witt, meanwhile, is batting .400 during a 10-game home hitting streak. He’s a sizzling 21-for-33 with nine RBIs in the last nine against the White Sox.
“The guys continue to work and believe and trust each other,” Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro said.
The Royals have won 15 of their last 16 against the White Sox and have outscored them 40-8 during an eight-game home winning streak in this series.
Scheduled Kansas City starter Seth Lugo (3-3, 3.07 ERA) has been exceptional when facing the White Sox, allowing just two runs over 23 1/3 innings while winning all three of his career starts against them. The right-hander is also aiming for a fourth consecutive quality start Tuesday after he allowed five runs over 20 2/3 innings while going 2-1 in the last three.
Lugo yielded two runs over six solid innings of an 8-2 victory at Tampa Bay on Thursday.
Royals pitchers have a 2.18 ERA over the last 14 games. Four Kansas City relievers did not walk a batter over four combined innings Monday.
Meanwhile, Kansas City hitters get a first look at scheduled Chicago starter Sean Burke (2-4, 4.91 ERA), who aims to build upon one of his best starts of the season. On Thursday, the right-hander walked three, but allowed just two hits and struck out five over six innings of an 8-0 win against Milwaukee.
“Just trying to get ahead of guys (was a lot better),” Burke told Chicago Sports Network.
“Just making them hit my pitches. Continuing to focus on the execution of stuff. If they are going to put the ball in play, I want them to hit the pitches I want them to hit.”
The White Sox managed six hits and struck out 14 times while being shut out for the fourth time this season Monday. However, Chicago’s Miguel Vargas singled and is batting .381 in his last 12 games.
Teammate Luis Robert Jr., though, is 0-for-7 with three strikeouts against Lugo.
Chicago outfielder and ex-Royal Andrew Benintendi could miss a second straight contest due to calf tightness.
–Field Level Media
