Atlanta Braves (96-62, first in the NL East) vs. Kansas City Royals (58-100, fourth in the NL Central)
Kansas City, Kansas; Wednesday, 8:15 p.m. EDT
PITCHING PROBABLES: Braves: Josh Tomlin (2-1, 3.82 ERA) Royals: Mike Montgomery (3-9, 5.00 ERA)
BOTTOM LINE: Kansas City will sweep the series over Atlanta with a win.
The Royals are 30-47 on their home turf. The Kansas City pitching staff averages 7.8 strikeouts per nine innings, Jakob Junis leads them with a mark of 8.4.
The Braves are 46-31 on the road. Atlanta has slugged .453, good for third in in the MLB. Freddie Freeman leads the club with a .552 slugging percentage, including 73 extra-base hits and 38 home runs. The Royals won the last meeting 9-6. Danny Duffy notched his seventh victory and Bubba Starling went 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs for Kansas City. Julio Teheran took his 11th loss for Atlanta.
TOP PERFORMERS: Jorge Soler leads the Royals with 79 extra base hits and is batting .260. Ryan O'Hearn is 4-for-17 with two doubles, a home run and six RBIs over the last 10 games for Kansas City.
Ozzie Albies leads the Braves with 75 extra base hits and is batting .299. Francisco Cervelli is 2-for-7 with two home runs and three RBIs over the last 10 games for Atlanta.
LAST 10 GAMES: Royals: 3-7, .277 batting average, 6.06 ERA, outscored by 13 runs
Braves: 5-5, .242 batting average, 3.38 ERA, outscored opponents by 11 runs
Royals Injuries: Trevor Oaks: (hip), Jakob Junis: (undisclosed), Adalberto Mondesi: (shoulder), Kelvin Gutierrez: (toe), Salvador Perez: (elbow), Nick Dini: (shoulder).
Braves Injuries: Jacob Webb: (elbow), A.J. Minter: (shoulder), Ender Inciarte: (hamstring), Charlie Culberson: (face), Ronald Acuna Jr.: (hip), Johan Camargo: (shin), Alex Jackson: (knee).
