Kansas City's Lopez puts 12-game hit streak on the line against Athletics
Oakland Athletics (76-56, second in the AL West) vs. Kansas City Royals (47-87, fourth in the AL Central)
Kansas City, Kansas; Thursday, 1:15 p.m. EDT
PITCHING PROBABLES: Athletics: Chris Bassitt (9-5, 3.59 ERA) Royals: Glenn Sparkman (3-9, 5.52 ERA)
LINE: Athletics -192; over/under is 10 runs
BOTTOM LINE: Nicky Lopez is riding a 12-game hitting streak as Kansas City readies to play Oakland.
The Royals are 25-41 in home games. The Kansas City offense has compiled a .243 batting average as a team this season, Whit Merrifield leads the team with a mark of .301.
The Athletics have gone 33-30 away from home. Oakland has hit 210 home runs this season, seventh in the majors. Matt Chapman leads the club with 30, averaging one every 16 at-bats. The Royals won the last meeting 6-4. Tim Hill earned his second victory and Hunter Dozier went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs for Kansas City. Blake Treinen took his fifth loss for Oakland.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jorge Soler leads the Royals with 36 home runs and is slugging .527. Merrifield has 14 hits and is batting .318 over the last 10 games for Kansas City.
Marcus Semien leads the Athletics with 147 hits and is batting .274. Mark Canha is 16-for-39 with a double, five home runs and 12 RBIs over the last 10 games for Oakland.
LAST 10 GAMES: Royals: 3-7, .238 batting average, 6.29 ERA, outscored by 28 runs
Athletics: 6-4, .284 batting average, 4.25 ERA, outscored opponents by 17 runs
Royals Injuries: Trevor Oaks: (hip), Jake Newberry: (shoulder), Jesse Hahn: (elbow), Danny Duffy: (hamstring), Adalberto Mondesi: (shoulder), Salvador Perez: (elbow), Cam Gallagher: (oblique).
Athletics Injuries: Sean Manaea: (shoulder), Daniel Gossett: (elbow), Brett Anderson: (finger), Stephen Piscotty: (ankle), Ramon Laureano: (hip), Matt Chapman: (head).
