Game Twenty-Five: Kansas City Royals at Arizona Diamondbacks

Smokin’ on Yarbrough reds

The baseball monarchs of the midwest will take on the baseball snakes of the southwest this afternoon with the series on the line. Both teams have won a game by a 5-4 score, and Kansas City will look for their first series win in nearly three weeks.

Ryan Yarbrough will make his first start for the Royals and his first start in the regular season since August 21 last year. He pitched as the bulk-guy following a Taylor Clarke opener appearance last Friday and went four innings, allowing two earned runs on a homer. He only completed six innings twice in nine starts last year, so don’t expect him to go deep in the game. The bullpen could be a problem today as Aroldis Chapman pitched in both of the last two games and Clarke and Scott Barlow each threw 25 pitches last night.

The Royals will have their hands full with Arizona ace Zac Gallen. He began the season with a couple rocky starts but has been lights out since. In his last three starts, Gallen has tossed 20.2 scoreless innings, allowing only seven hits and one walk while striking out 29. He made two starts against Kansas City last season, getting touched up for six runs at Kauffman Stadium on May 24 but throwing six shutty at Chase Field on August 24.

First pitch; 2:40 pm CDT

Royals lineup

Diamondbacks lineup