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Royals-Indians Preview

Aug 27, 2010 - 4:08 AM By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer

Kansas City (54-73) at Cleveland (50-76), 7:05 p.m. EDT

Bryan Bullington endured a miserable outing following his first major league win. He'll try to get back on track in a matchup with one of his former teams.

The Kansas City Royals right-hander will attempt to give manager Ned Yost his 500th career win Friday night when he faces the Cleveland Indians.

The 29-year-old Bullington, the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2002, played with four teams in parts of five seasons before finally earning his first victory Aug. 15, beating New York 1-0.

In his next start Saturday against Chicago, he matched a career high with six runs allowed and set another by giving up 11 hits over five innings. Bullington (1-2, 4.50 ERA) wasn't charged with the loss in a 7-6 defeat.

He'll be making his first start against the Indians, with whom he went 0-2 with a 4.91 ERA in three games in 2008. Bullington has faced the Indians once, recording two outs during an 8-4 win at Progressive Field on May 19.

He'll have the chance to help Yost, 499-552 with Milwaukee and Kansas City, earn the milestone win. The Royals (54-73) are 42-50 under Yost but have won six of 10.

"We've been playing well lately," reliever Philip Humber told the team's official website. "Aside from the last couple games, even the games that we've lost have been close games. It seems like this team just never quits."

Kansas City has won five of the last six against Cleveland (51-76) and swept two games at Progressive Field from May 19-20.

The Indians, losers of 13 of 17, snapped a five-game slide with a 3-2 victory over Oakland on Thursday night. Matt LaPorta hit a go-ahead two-run shot in the sixth inning to help his team to its fifth win in 18 home contests.

"It makes it a little more fun to come to the park tomorrow and hopefully put a (winning) streak together," right-hander Justin Masterson said.

Josh Tomlin (1-3, 3.86) has lost three straight starts and is coming off the worst outing of his brief career. The rookie right-hander gave up a career-high five runs over six innings of a 5-2 defeat in Detroit on Saturday, his fifth major league start.

"He gave up six extra base hits, so you know he was leaving too many pitches over the fat part of the plate," manager Manny Acta said. "We need to see him do a better job of mixing his pitches. Tonight, he got too in love with his cutter."

The Royals have dropped six consecutive season series to the Indians but lead 5-3 this year with 10 games remaining.