AP Sports Preview: Mariners at Royals

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Interstat) — The Seattle Mariners visit the Kansas City Royals on Saturday evening at Kauffman Stadium, with first pitch set for 7:10 p.m. The forecast calls for rain and 70 degrees.

Seattle (24-27) enters having won two of its last three, including a 5-4 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday. The Mariners took the series opener here Friday, 2-0.

Kansas City (20-30) has lost four straight and six of seven. The Royals fell 4-3 to Boston on Wednesday.

Pitching matchup

Seattle is scheduled to start right-hander George Kirby (5-3), though the club also listed right-hander Stephen Kolek (2-0) as a probable, leaving the starter uncertain.

Kansas City counters with right-hander Michael Wacha (3-4). In his last outing Wednesday against Boston, Wacha took a no-decision despite allowing one run over six innings, striking out eight. He has pitched at least six innings in four consecutive starts, posting a 2.08 ERA in that span.

Players to watch

Mariners right-hander Emerson Hancock has been effective lately. In his last start Wednesday, he earned the win with five innings of two-run ball, striking out four. On May 2 against Kansas City, he struck out 14 over seven innings in a 3-2 loss.

Royals first baseman Salvador Perez is 3 for 4 with a home run and an RBI in Wednesday’s loss. Catcher Elias Díaz also homered in that game.

Recent history

Seattle has won the past two meetings, including Friday’s 2-0 shutout, after dropping three of four in a series at home May 1-3. The Royals won those games by scores of 7-6, 3-2 and 4-1.

Betting line

Interstat’s game simulator projects a 4-1 Seattle victory. The Mariners are -1.5 favorites, with an over/under of 8.5 runs.

Upcoming

The teams conclude this three-game series Sunday. Seattle then begins a three-game set at the Athletics on Monday. Kansas City hosts the Yankees for three games starting Monday.