Astros, Royals striving to escape the doldrums

The Houston Astros have appeared in the postseason in eight of the past nine seasons, winning two World Series.

But they enter the start of a three-game road series Friday night against the Kansas City Royals in fourth place in the American League West, five games behind the first-place Seattle Mariners.

If the Astros are going to make the playoffs this season, they will need to start stringing together wins.

The Royals, meanwhile, are in last place in the American League Central, 13 games under .500 and nine games behind the front-running Chicago White Sox.

Since May 12, exactly one month, Kansas City is 9-19.

The Astros are coming off a series loss to the lowly Los Angeles Angels, the only team with a worse record than the Royals in the American League. Houston lost 3-2 in 10 innings on Wednesday to give the Astros their third series loss in the past four sets.

"We've really got to turn the page and put this series behind us," Astros manager Joe Espada said after the finale in Anaheim, Calif. "We've got to start winning some series. It's important for us to start winning some series."

Lack of offense is the reason for Houston's recent struggles, as the team has only eight runs over the past four contests. The Astros have 21 hits and 19 walks in that stretch but have struck out 46 times.

"When we talk in hitters' meetings and I have conversations with the hitters, we're confident, we know what we're capable of," first baseman Christian Walker said. "But I think that the beautiful thing of baseball --getting 30 people firing on all cylinders -- is elusive sometimes.

"Pitchers have been awesome. I think now it's getting the offense back on track. I think we're game-planning right, we're strategizing right, we're preparing the right way. Execution feels like a different category. So just keep our heads up and try to build some momentum here on the road."

Right-hander Tatsuya Imai (3-3, 5.24 ERA) is Houston's scheduled starter Friday night. He enters the game off a 13-2 win over the Athletics on Saturday. He has yet to face the Royals in his career.

Kansas City is coming off a 4-2 loss Thursday to the Texas Rangers, but that wasn't the worst news of the day for the Royals.

Kyle Isbel, their starting center fielder, was placed on the 10-day injured list Thursday after being diagnosed with a Grade 3 tear of part of his left plantar fascia.

Isbel said he had foot pain for a few weeks and that it worsened as he was running the bases in Tuesday's game vs. Texas. The injury likely will keep him out longer than the 10 injured-list days.

"It's just getting the inflammation down, and then there's not really a timetable on it," Isbel said. "Just more symptom-based. ... Just a lot of pressure in the bottom of my foot."

Known for his stellar defense rather than his offense, Isbel is batting .244 this season with three homers, 11 RBIs and five stolen bases.

The Royals called up outfielder Kameron Misner from Triple-A Omaha to take Isbel's spot on the roster. Misner recently was named player of the week in the International League after hitting five home runs.

Rookie right-hander Luinder Avila (1-2, 4.02 ERA) will make his fourth start of the season for Kansas City on Friday. He also has made nine relief appearances.

His most recent start came Saturday in his team's 3-2 win over the Minnesota Twins, though he did not figure into the decision. He gave up a run on two hits in five innings, walked three and struck out three.

This will be the first time that Avila has pitched against the Astros in his career.

--Field Level Media