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Royals-Orioles Preview

Sep 13, 2015 - 1:34 AM Kansas City Royals manager Ned Yost isn't worried about Johnny Cueto and the right-hander insists he's fine physically.

His recent performances, however, suggest something is wrong.

Cueto aims to snap the longest losing streak of his career and avenge a recent loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday night.

Acquired from Cincinnati on July 26, Cueto went 2-1 with a 1.80 ERA and held opponents to a .222 batting average in his first four starts with Kansas City.

There's been a complete reversal in his past four outings, with the projected ace going 0-4 with a 9.45 ERA while teams have hit .394 against him.

"I've got all the confidence in the world that he'll get through it," Yost said.

The four-game losing streak is the longest of Cueto's career and his most recent performance was his shortest in over two years. He was roughed up for five runs and seven hits over three innings in a 7-5 loss to the Chicago White Sox last Sunday.

"I'm not frustrated at all, but I'm a little bit disappointed I haven't been able to help the team the way I was supposed to help this club," Cueto said through an interpreter.

Cueto (2-5, 4.86 ERA) wasn't sharp in his first meeting with the Orioles on Aug. 26, allowing six runs - all on a trio of homers - and eight hits over five innings in an 8-5 loss.

"Physically, he feels great," Yost said of Cueto. "Shoulder feels good, elbow feels good, back, legs. He's just going through a stretch right now."

The Royals (84-57) will try to avoid losing a third straight series after evening this set with Saturday's 14-6 victory behind Mike Moustakas' memorable game. He set a franchise record with nine RBIs, hitting a grand slam, a three-run homer and a two-run single a day after his 27th birthday.

"It's pretty special," Moustakas said. "I was just able to get good pitches, and I didn't miss them today."

Salvador Perez had two hits and three RBIs for the Royals, who won for only the second time in eight games but still own a very comfortable lead in the AL Central.

"It was a big win. You can't lose six out of seven like we had," Yost said. "The good thing about it is their disposition, their focus, their intensity hasn't changed through this."

Adam Jones and Nolan Reimold homered for the Orioles (68-73), whose modest three-game winning streak ended. Baltimore has lost 10 of 12 to Kansas City, including four straight in last season's ALCS.

Wei-Yin Chen (8-7, 3.48) will try to beat Cueto and the Royals again after yielding three runs and 10 hits over 6 2-3 innings in last month's victory. That was the fourth straight win for Chen, but he's gone 0-1 with an 8.38 ERA in his two most recent starts.

The left-hander surrendered five runs over five innings before leaving without a decision in an 8-6 loss at Yankee Stadium on Monday.

Chen has held the Royals to three runs or less in six straight starts, including one in the ALCS.

Ben Zobrist, though, is 14 for 37 in their matchups, Eric Hosmer is 7 for 20 with a pair of homers and Lorenzo Cain is 6 for 15.

Cain is 10 for 22 with two home runs this season against the Orioles and Alex Rios is 10 for 18 with a homer, three doubles and a triple.