Watch Seattle Mariners vs Kansas City Royals live streaming major league baseball audio video feed online coverage internet tv soapcast webcast espn 360 gamecast radio commentary 17 april, 2011. Game Review: Alex Gordon has struggled living up to the hype since the Kansas City Royals drafted him second overall in 2005. Seemingly playing with something to prove in 2011, Gordon has been key to the team's best start since 2003.
Gordon looks to extend his 10-game hitting streak Sunday when the Royals seek a four-game sweep of the visiting Mariners.
Inconsistency, injuries and a minor-league demotion hampered Gordon through his first four seasons. He hit .244 and had more strikeouts (362) than hits (352).
After a 2009 season shortened by a hip injury and spending most of 2010 in the minor leagues, Gordon is hitting .373, leads the AL with 22 hits and is tied for the team lead with 11 RBIs. He went 3 for 4 with a double and two RBIs in a 7-0 win Saturday against Seattle, helping Kansas City (10-4) to its best 14-game start since going 11-3 in 2003.
2:10 PM ET, April 17, 2011
Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Pitching Matchup
Seattle v Kansas City
Michael Pineda
1-1, 2.70 ERA
Last appearance:
4/12 vs TOR
7.1 IP, 1 ER
Dec = Win
Jeff Francis
0-0, 2.61 ERA
Last appearance:
4/12 at MIN
7.0 IP, 3 ER
Dec = ND
Lineups
NO. Seattle Kansas City
1. I. Suzuki, RF J. Dyson, CF
2. C. Figgins, 3B C. Getz, 2B
3. M. Bradley, LF A. Gordon, LF
4. J. Cust, DH B. Butler, 1B
5. J. Smoak, 1B K. Ka'aihue, DH
6. M. Olivo, C J. Francoeur, RF
7. R. Langerhans, CF W. Betemit, 3B
8. B. Ryan, SS B. Pena, C
9. J. Wilson, 2B A. Escobar, SS
Gordon, who sat out Friday's game, is 4 for 7 with 4 RBIs in the series.
The Royals have won four straight and six of seven as the bullpen pitched four scoreless innings to give starter Sean O'Sullivan his first win of the year.
"You've got to give credit to the rest of the guys in this locker room and the way they're playing the game," O'Sullivan said. "It's fun to show up at the park right now."
Left-hander Jeff Francis (0-0, 2.61 ERA) will take the mound Sunday as the Royals seek their first four-game sweep of the Mariners since Sept. 15-18, 2008. Francis, who has never faced Seattle, went seven innings and allowed eight hits and three runs Tuesday as the Royals lost 4-3 to Minnesota in 10 innings.
Kansas City has lost two of Francis' starts in extra innings and won the other in its last at-bat opening day against the Los Angeles Angels after Francis left in the seventh with the game tied.
Seattle will counter with 6-foot-7 rookie right-hander Michael Pineda (1-1, 2.70 ERA). He'll look to help the Mariners (4-11) avoid matching their worst 16-game start since beginning the 1981 season 4-12.
Manager Eric Wedge kept the clubhouse closed for several minutes following Saturday's loss, Seattle's 11th in 13 games.
"It's the same thing, different day. It's not acceptable," Wedge said. "We're not going to keep watching this. We're going to get better."
Pineda will be making his third start after allowing two runs -- one earned -- and five hits in 7 1/3 innings Tuesday in a 3-2 win against Toronto.
While Pineda looks to slow a Royals lineup which has generated 28 runs in its last four games, Seattle hopes its offense begins to come around.
Ichiro Suzuki went hitless for the fifth time this season Saturday, going 0 for 5. Suzuki went 0 for 5 only four times all of 2010.
Saturday's loss also marked the fourth time Seattle has scored one or no runs, and its been outscored 18-6 in this series.
Milton Bradley, who received the day off Saturday, is 5 for 10 with two home runs lifetime against Francis.
MarinersThe Seattle Mariners, meanwhile, hope to avoid their worst start in 30 years.
(4-11, 2-7 away)
Royals
(10-4, 7-2 home)
Gordon looks to extend his 10-game hitting streak Sunday when the Royals seek a four-game sweep of the visiting Mariners.
Inconsistency, injuries and a minor-league demotion hampered Gordon through his first four seasons. He hit .244 and had more strikeouts (362) than hits (352).
After a 2009 season shortened by a hip injury and spending most of 2010 in the minor leagues, Gordon is hitting .373, leads the AL with 22 hits and is tied for the team lead with 11 RBIs. He went 3 for 4 with a double and two RBIs in a 7-0 win Saturday against Seattle, helping Kansas City (10-4) to its best 14-game start since going 11-3 in 2003.
2:10 PM ET, April 17, 2011
Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Pitching Matchup
Seattle v Kansas City
Michael Pineda
1-1, 2.70 ERA
Last appearance:
4/12 vs TOR
7.1 IP, 1 ER
Dec = Win
Jeff Francis
0-0, 2.61 ERA
Last appearance:
4/12 at MIN
7.0 IP, 3 ER
Dec = ND
Lineups
NO. Seattle Kansas City
1. I. Suzuki, RF J. Dyson, CF
2. C. Figgins, 3B C. Getz, 2B
3. M. Bradley, LF A. Gordon, LF
4. J. Cust, DH B. Butler, 1B
5. J. Smoak, 1B K. Ka'aihue, DH
6. M. Olivo, C J. Francoeur, RF
7. R. Langerhans, CF W. Betemit, 3B
8. B. Ryan, SS B. Pena, C
9. J. Wilson, 2B A. Escobar, SS
Gordon, who sat out Friday's game, is 4 for 7 with 4 RBIs in the series.
The Royals have won four straight and six of seven as the bullpen pitched four scoreless innings to give starter Sean O'Sullivan his first win of the year.
"You've got to give credit to the rest of the guys in this locker room and the way they're playing the game," O'Sullivan said. "It's fun to show up at the park right now."
Left-hander Jeff Francis (0-0, 2.61 ERA) will take the mound Sunday as the Royals seek their first four-game sweep of the Mariners since Sept. 15-18, 2008. Francis, who has never faced Seattle, went seven innings and allowed eight hits and three runs Tuesday as the Royals lost 4-3 to Minnesota in 10 innings.
Kansas City has lost two of Francis' starts in extra innings and won the other in its last at-bat opening day against the Los Angeles Angels after Francis left in the seventh with the game tied.
Seattle will counter with 6-foot-7 rookie right-hander Michael Pineda (1-1, 2.70 ERA). He'll look to help the Mariners (4-11) avoid matching their worst 16-game start since beginning the 1981 season 4-12.
Manager Eric Wedge kept the clubhouse closed for several minutes following Saturday's loss, Seattle's 11th in 13 games.
"It's the same thing, different day. It's not acceptable," Wedge said. "We're not going to keep watching this. We're going to get better."
Pineda will be making his third start after allowing two runs -- one earned -- and five hits in 7 1/3 innings Tuesday in a 3-2 win against Toronto.
While Pineda looks to slow a Royals lineup which has generated 28 runs in its last four games, Seattle hopes its offense begins to come around.
Ichiro Suzuki went hitless for the fifth time this season Saturday, going 0 for 5. Suzuki went 0 for 5 only four times all of 2010.
Saturday's loss also marked the fourth time Seattle has scored one or no runs, and its been outscored 18-6 in this series.
Milton Bradley, who received the day off Saturday, is 5 for 10 with two home runs lifetime against Francis.