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Indians-Royals Preview

May 13, 2010 - 6:00 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Cleveland (12-18) at Kansas City (11-22), 2:10 p.m. EDT

The Kansas City Royals haven't done much to help Zack Greinke earn his first win of the season.

The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner tries an eighth time for that elusive victory Thursday while looking to help the Royals avoid an eighth straight loss and a series sweep at the hands of the Cleveland Indians.

Greinke (0-4, 2.51 ERA) had six wins at this point in 2009, but this year he'd settle for one.

Though he allowed four runs in seven innings of a 4-1 loss at Texas on Friday, the Royals (11-23) have averaged 2.4 runs a game while going 1-6 with Greinke on the mound. The right-hander's allowed two or fewer runs in four starts this season.

"I'm just trying to keep us in ball games. We're just getting beat right now," Greinke said.

Greinke is 5-7 with a 3.17 ERA in 18 starts versus the Indians, but 3-0 with a 2.52 ERA in his last six.

The Indians (13-18) extended the Royals' season-high losing streak to seven with a 4-0 win Wednesday. The loss dropped Kansas City to an AL worst 4-10 at home and continued to put the heat on third-year manager Trey Hillman.

"I still feel blessed to be here," said Hillman, who's 151-207 as Royals manager. "We're not where we want to be. We've still got some time to do some things right."

Fausto Carmona and three Cleveland relievers allowed nine hits Wednesday, but the Royals stranded 13 runners. Scott Podsednik, Mike Aviles and Alberto Callaspo each had two hits for Kansas City, which has scored 23 runs during its skid.

"The last 18 innings we've scored two runs," Hillman said. "That's not indicative of what our offense has the ability to do."

Russell Branyan hit a two-run homer and Asdrubal Cabrera snapped an 0-for-16 skid with a two-run single for the Indians, who look to sweep Kansas City for the first time since Aug. 19-21, 2008.

Branyan, who hit his first two home runs of the season in Tuesday's 8-2 win, is 5 for 9 with five RBIs in the series.

"We needed some thump in our lineup and he's a guy who can provide that," manager Manny Acta said. "He's swinging pretty good right now."

David Huff (1-4, 4.60) looks to avoid his fourth consecutive loss when he takes the ball for the Indians. Huff, who has a 7.16 ERA while losing his last three outings, caught a break in his last start.

The left-hander allowed seven runs in 2 2-3 innings against Detroit on Friday, but the numbers were washed away when rain postponed the game after four innings. In his last official start, Huff gave up four runs and 10 hits in five innings of an 8-3 loss to Minnesota on May 2.

Huff went 2-0 with a 3.75 ERA in two starts against the Royals last season as a rookie.