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Royals-White Sox Preview

Aug 19, 2009 - 5:35 AM By KATE HEDLIN STATS Writer

Kansas City (46-72) at Chicago (61-58), 2:05 p.m. EDT

The Kansas City Royals appear headed for their fifth last-place finish in six years. Despite their struggles, they are providing plenty of trouble for the Chicago White Sox.

The Royals look to win their second series in Chicago this season when they send ace Zack Greinke to the mound Wednesday afternoon in the finale of a three-game set.

Kansas City (47-72) is in last place in the AL Central, but hasn't played like a bottom feeder against Chicago (61-59). The Royals have beaten the White Sox seven times this season, including three wins in five games at Chicago. They rallied for a 5-4 victory Tuesday after losing the opener of this series by one run.

Billy Butler doubled three times, drove in two and scored the go-ahead run on Alberto Callaspo's fifth-inning single, as Kansas City came back from a 4-1 deficit. Butler is hitting .414 in his last 14 games.

The loss dropped the White Sox three games behind division-leading Detroit.

"All you can do is keep grinding," said Paul Konerko, who homered along with Carlos Quentin in the third inning. "With the amount of time left, you can overcome that. But if you start thinking about what could have been ..."

Konerko went 2 for 5 Tuesday after going hitless in his previous seven games. He's now batting .108 in his last 11.

Chicago could have a tough time bouncing back against Greinke (11-7, 2.33 ERA), whom they've scored eight runs against in four games this season.

Greinke has struggled recently with poor run support. He pitched extremely well Friday against Detroit, allowing three hits and striking out seven over seven scoreless innings, but failed to record a decision as the Royals lost 1-0.

The right-hander began the season 8-1 with a 0.84 ERA, but has won only once in eight outings since the starts of July despite a 3.18 ERA in that span, receiving a total of six runs of support in four road starts - all of them Kansas City losses.

Greinke is 2-1 with a 1.61 ERA in four starts against the White Sox this season. He allowed three hits in six innings of a 2-0 win at Chicago on April 8, striking out seven.

White Sox outfielder Scott Podsednik went 0 for 4 Tuesday, but is hitting .533 lifetime against Greinke, including 7 for 10 this season with three doubles and a triple.

The White Sox will send Jose Contreras (4-11, 5.40) to the mound, although their confidence in the veteran is clearly waning.

Contreras is 0-4 with a 7.62 ERA in his last six starts. The right-hander has failed to pitch out of the fifth in four of those outings, including Friday against Oakland when he allowed seven runs and eight hits in 4 1-3 innings of an 8-7, 10-inning victory.

Before that start, manager Ozzie Guillen had said the White Sox were considering moving Contreras to the bullpen, although afterward, he softened his stance.

"Right now we have to keep running him out there," Guillen said. "Right now I don't have a better answer for next time for Jose."

Contreras is 9-4 with a 3.51 lifetime ERA against the Royals. He hasn't faced them this season.