After losing a 14 inning contest on Friday night, the Kansas City Royals look to rebound on Saturday night. And to do so, they'll need a strong effort out of starting pitcher Luke Hochevar.
Friday night's starter Bruce Chen couldn't escape the fifth inning, and Kansas City's bullpen threw nearly 10 innings in the one-run loss to the White Sox.
Hochevar will be tasked with quieting Chicago's bats, and working deep into the game. The start will be Hochevar's first since July 5, when he sprained his ankle. To date, Hochevar has a 6-8 record, 5.14 ERA and 1.39 WHIP. Hochevar has held opposing hitters to a .281 average, while striking out just 71 in 98 innings of work.
Kansas City's offense will face off against 2012 All-Star and former Cy Young award winner Jake Peavy. Peavy has regained his Cy Young form this year, as evidenced by his 0.99 WHIP. Peavy has struck out 108 and walked just 26 in 120 innings of work, and has a 2.85 ERA and 7-5 record to show for his strong efforts.
First pitch is scheduled for 6:10 p.m. CT. Televised coverage can be found on FOX Sports Kansas City.
For more on the Royals, head over to Royals Review.