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Royals target fifth straight victory

Sep 16, 2008 - 1:18 PM Seattle (57-92) at Kansas City (66-84) 8:10 pm EDT

KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Ticker) -- It may be too little, too late, but the Kansas City Royals are rolling.

The Royals eye their fifth straight victory on Tuesday when they continue their four-game set against the Seattle Mariners.

Kansas City matched its longest winning streak since prevailing in four consecutive contests from July 27-30 as it opened Monday's four-game series against Seattle with a 3-0 victory.

The win followed an offensive explosion over the weekend vs. Cleveland in which the Royals outscored the Indians, 29-10, to take the final three games of that four-game series. Unfortunately, the winning streak still leaves Kansas City in the American League Central basement, 17 1/2 games behind the Chicago White Sox (83-66).

For their fifth straight win, the Royals will turn to Brandon Duckworth (2-1, 5.85 ERA), who has guided Kansas City to a 3-1 record in his four starts since his recall from the minors on August 24.

The righthander did not factor into the decision in Thursday's 3-2, 10-inning loss at Minnesota after permitting two runs and seven hits over five-plus frames.

The Mariners, who were shut out for the 10th time on Monday, will answer with converted reliever Brandon Morrow (2-3, 1.64), who will make his third start since joining the rotation.

After taking a no-hitter into the eighth inning of his first career start on September 5, the righthander came back to earth in Thursday's 7-4 road loss to the Angels, allowing two runs and five hits with four walks over five innings.