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Indians-Royals Preview

May 10, 2010 - 7:23 PM By MATT BECKER STATS Senior Writer

Cleveland (11-18) at Kansas City (11-21), 8:10 p.m. EDT

It's been a rough first five weeks for the Cleveland Indians and Kansas City Royals, but both clubs feel they can still salvage their seasons.

The Indians look to build on their first win in a week when they open a three-game series Tuesday night against a Royals team trying to avoid extending its season-high losing streak to six games.

Cleveland (11-18) arrives in Kansas City after beating Detroit 7-4 on Sunday to snap a five-game skid. No. 7 hitter Mark Grudzielanek had a season-best three hits and drove in two runs, while No. 8 hitter Andy Marte had three RBIs for the Indians, who won for the third time in 12 games.

Cleveland's problems have stemmed from an ineffective offense. The Indians, 8 1/2 games behind AL Central-leading Minnesota, have scored the majors' third-fewest runs (106) and have the AL's second-worst slugging percentage (.354).

Grady Sizemore, still seeking his first homer of the season, is in the middle of this lackluster offense, hitting .197 with seven RBIs in the last 18 games.

"The last month, we've been behind the 8-ball," Grudzielanek said. "We're not giving up because of a bad month or bad week. We're going to start hitting."

Kansas City's sluggish offense has also contributed to its recent problems, with the team plating two runs or fewer five times in the last eight games.

Jose Guillen, who leads the Royals with eight home runs and 21 RBIs, has done little offensively in the last 13, batting .133 with one homer and three RBIs.

Kansas City (11-21) suffered its fifth straight defeat with Sunday's 6-4 loss to Texas, falling to a season-worst 10 games below the break-even mark.

"If you had told me we would be 10 games under .500 at this time, I never would have believed it," Royals manager Trey Hillman said.

Although Kansas City has dropped 10 of 13 and is already 10 games back of the Twins, the team insists it's not worried.

"There's no panic - zero," catcher Jason Kendall told the Royals' official website. "We know we're going to turn it around. We haven't clicked. We haven't pitched well and hit well. We're either hitting and not pitching or pitching and not hitting, we just haven't put it together."

Brian Bannister (1-2, 5.03 ERA) takes the mound for Kansas City in the opener trying to bounce back from his worst outing of the season.

After allowing two runs or fewer in four of his first five starts, Bannister was tagged for seven runs and seven hits in three innings of a 9-2 loss to Chicago on Wednesday.

The right-hander hopes things go more smoothly with the Indians in town. He's 4-1 with a 2.34 ERA in eight career starts against Cleveland.

The Indians counter with Jake Westbrook (0-2, 5.74), who has been battling tightness and soreness in his back.

The veteran didn't use the back pain as an excuse for a poor outing last Tuesday against Toronto. Westbrook lasted just 3 2-3 innings, yielding four runs, five hits and five walks in an 8-5 loss, but didn't receive a decision.

The right-hander is searching for his first victory since April 2008. He underwent Tommy John surgery in June of that season and missed all of 2009.

This will be his first start against Kansas City since Sept. 29, 2007. He is 5-3 with a 2.78 ERA in 14 career starts against the Royals.