Royals aim to halt slide in rematch vs. Athletics

Whether facing one of the best teams in the majors or a club at the bottom of a division, the Kansas City Royals continue to struggle.

They'll look to avoid a fifth straight defeat on Saturday afternoon when they face the visiting Athletics, who can secure their first winning road series in nearly six weeks.

Kansas City was 24-16 on May 9 but has averaged 3.1 runs a game while going 10-20 since.

After totaling five runs while being swept in a three-game home set by the American League East-leading New York Yankees this week, the Royals scored three times in the ninth to make things interesting in a 6-4 loss to the Athletics on Friday.

The A's picked won after losing 14 straight road contests and 28 of 34 overall before this series opener.

The Royals have lost 12 of the last 15 games at home, where they've scored more than four runs just once during that span.

"We don't want to lose anywhere," Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro said. "So we have an opportunity to put this one behind us and play (Saturday).

"Nobody is going to feel sorry for us."

Saturday's scheduled Kansas City starter, Michael Lorenzen (4-6, 4.94 ERA), allowed a two-run homer in the first inning last Sunday, then didn't give up another hit while throwing five scoreless innings and striking out seven during a 7-5 victory over the Chicago White Sox.

It was a needed performance for the veteran right-hander, who yielded 13 runs and 18 hits over 7 2/3 innings of his previous two starts.

Lorenzen was 4-0 with an 0.31 ERA in his first five career starts against the Athletics before he allowed six runs and nine hits in six innings of a 9-4 loss to them last season while pitching for Texas.

The Athletics' Brent Rooker is 3-for-7 against Lorenzen and is batting .391 (9-for-23) in his last six games versus Kansas City. Teammate Jacob Wilson, who had two hits Friday and leads all MLB shortstops with a .367 average, has never faced Lorenzen.

Luis Severino allowed one run over 7 2/3 innings, Austin Wynns and Luis Urias each homered, and Max Muncy added a two-run single Friday for the A's. They last won a road series May 2-4 at Miami.

"The energy was there," Wynns told NBC Sports California. "That's what wins games -- good pitching and timely hitting."

The Athletics' Jacob Lopez (0-4, 6.00 ERA) is slated for another start Saturday after he allowed four hits and two walks, but only one run, while striking out five in four innings of his team's 5-1 victory over Baltimore on Sunday. That effort came after the left-hander yielded 12 runs and 11 hits, including five homers, over six innings from his previous two outings -- a start and relief appearance after an opener.

Lopez will get his first look at the Royals and Bobby Witt Jr. The series hyped the matchup of talented shortstops in the established star Witt and budding one in Wilson -- both sons of former major leaguers. However, Witt is batting .208 over a 24-game stretch.

"He's still a pretty darn good hitter, so I'm not concerned," Quatraro said.

Teammate Vinnie Pasquantino had his 12-game hitting streak end Friday, but he's reached base in 28 consecutive contests.