WASHINGTON (Interstat) — The Kansas City Royals visit Nationals Park on Monday to open a three-game series against the Washington Nationals, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m. EDT under a forecast of 87 degrees and rain.

Kansas City (29-43) enters having won its last outing, a 4-0 shutout of the Houston Astros on Sunday. But the Royals have dropped eight of their last 10 overall, a stretch that includes a four-game sweep at the hands of the Texas Rangers from June 9-11. Washington (37-35) won Sunday’s series finale 10-1 against the Seattle Mariners and has taken three of its last four.

Right-hander Andrew Alvarez (1-0) is the probable starter for Kansas City. He will be making his second appearance of the season. Washington counters with right-hander Miles Mikolas, who has been sharp of late. Over his last three starts, Mikolas has allowed just one earned run across 17 2/3 innings, posting a 0.51 ERA in that span. He threw seven scoreless innings Sunday against Seattle, allowing three hits and striking out three.

Royals pitcher Stephen Kolek is a player to watch after a dominant outing Sunday. He tossed 7 1/3 scoreless innings against the Astros, yielding five hits with four strikeouts. In his last two starts, Kolek has allowed zero earned runs over 16 1/3 innings, lowering his season ERA significantly. He also threw a complete-game shutout against the Mariners on May 23, going nine innings with four hits and two strikeouts.

For Washington, Mikolas is the key figure, but the lineup received a boost Sunday from designated hitter James Wood, who went 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs, and catcher Keibert Ruiz, who also homered and drove in two.

The Interstat game simulator projects a 5-4 victory for Washington, a narrow margin that could test both bullpens. The Royals, despite a losing record, have shown flashes of strong pitching, while the Nationals look to build momentum toward .500 and beyond.

Following this series, Kansas City returns home to face the St. Louis Cardinals, while Washington hosts the Philadelphia Phillies.