The Chicago White Sox look to stop a four-game slide when they resume a four-game series versus the Kansas City Royals on Saturday.
The White Sox are only 4-13 in their last 17 games and have lost the first two installments of this series with the Royals. In Saturday's 6-1 loss, Chris Sale allowed four runs and nine hits in 5 1/3 innings to take the loss.
"I think over the course of the year he's had a good year," Chicago manager Robin Ventura said of Sale. "Tonight wasn't one of those. They swung it pretty good against him tonight."
Gordon Beckham homered and Alexei Ramirez had two of Chicago's four hits.
Chicago will send Erik Johnson to the mound Saturday and he is 2-2 with a 2.82 ERA in four starts. He has won back-to-back starts, including Sunday's 6-3 win at Detroit in which he hurled 6 2/3 innings of two-run ball.
Johnson has never faced the Royals.
Kansas City has been playing this month, but will miss the playoffs.
The Royals have won two in a row and four of six games, and got seven stellar innings out of James Shields in Friday's win. Shields struck out 10 and allowed a run and four hits.
"Not only has he given us No. 1 starter quality stuff, he's been a great leader," said Kansas City manager Ned Yost about Shields.
Emilio Bonifacio and Billy Butler had two RBI apiece in the win.
K.C. is slated to send Yordano Ventura to the bump Saturday and he is 0-0 with a 1.59 ERA over two starts. Ventura will face Chicago for the first time and hurled 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball in Monday's 6-5 win at Seattle.
The Royals are 9-8 against Chicago this season.
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