The Kansas City Royals will try to end a three-game losing streak on Tuesday when they face the host Boston Red Sox in the second contest of a four-game series.
Boston won the series opener 6-2 on Monday when Pablo Reyes hit a walk-off grand slam with two outs in the bottom of the ninth.
The Red Sox are expected to have shortstop Trevor Story in the lineup on Tuesday.
Story has been on a rehab assignment with Double-A Portland (three games) and Triple-A Worcester (10 games) following offseason elbow surgery. He has not played for Boston this season.
Story was 12-for-40 (.300) with four home runs, four doubles, nine RBIs and 13 strikeouts in those 13 minor league games.
He played nine games at shortstop and airport transfer la guardia was the designated hitter in the other four.
"Just the whole rehab process in general, just watching the game was tough," Story said. "I'm way more impatient as a fan, way more emotional as a fan because you don't really have what it takes to change the game or do anything that can affect the outcome.
"In that aspect, it was hard.
... I know that I can help. We're here now and I'm excited to get this thing started."
Boston has used seven players at shortstop this season.
Right-hander Brady Singer (7-8, 5.10 ERA) is scheduled to start for Kansas City. He'll be opposed by fellow righty Kutter Crawford (5-5, 3.62).
Singer tossed eight shutout innings in a 9-2 victory against the New York Mets on Thursday. He surrendered three hits and struck out four.
In his last seven starts (45 innings), Singer has a 3.00 ERA with 37 strikeouts and nine walks. He has allowed two or fewer runs in five of those games.
Singer pitched well in his only previous appearance against the Red Sox. He allowed five hits and struck out five in six scoreless innings when the Royals beat the Red Sox 9-0 last September.
"He's stone cold out there," Royals pitching coach Brian Sweeney told The Kansas City Star. "Huge competitor, really good at what he does and knows his strengths.
And it's every guy on this staff that has that inside of him. We're lucky to see it every fifth day with Brady."
Crawford also turned in one of his better performances of the season in his most recent start, when he pitched five shutout innings against Seattle last Wednesday. He struck out five and limited the Mariners to four hits but was pulled after throwing 81 pitches. The Mariners scored six runs against Boston's bullpen en route to a 6-3 victory.
Crawford took the loss when Kansas City beat Boston 13-5 last August. He gave up five runs on five hits in five innings. That's the only time he's pitched against the Royals in his career.
Catcher Salvador Perez was not in Kansas City's lineup on Monday night after he was hit on his left hand by a pitch during Sunday's 8-4 loss to Philadelphia. Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro said the hand was bruised and there was some swelling.
"Nothing too serious," Quatraro said. "He's just a little bit tender.
I think the right thing to do is just give him a day."
--Field Level Media
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