Probable pitchers and starting lineups, KC Royals vs. St. Louis, Aug. 10

What unfolded at Kauffman Stadium Friday night was ugly, a scene now all too familiar to KC Royals fans aching for a return to postseason baseball. The offense was good enough to keep the Royals in, and even win, their game with St. Louis, but the bullpen, as has become its tendency, pitched the club right out of the contest.

Beginning with Sam Long, who inherited a 5-3 lead from starter Michael Lorenzen with two outs in the fifth, KC manager Matt Quatraro used six relievers. Lucas Erceg, obtained only recently from Oakland, and James McArthur, who may or may not be the club's closer, pitched scoreless innings, but Long, Will Smith, Chris Stratton, and Angel Zerpa all gave up or were charged with runs. And that's why that two-run cushion Long assumed from Lorenzen evaporated, and the Royals lost 8-5.

So it is that Michael Wacha needs to go deep when he starts against the Cardinals in tonight's 6:10 p.m. CDT game at Kauffman Stadium. The Royals, who with a win can gain a split of this two-game series, need relief from their relievers, and Wacha looks like just the starter to provide it.

Wacha, who spent the first seven of his 12-season big league career with the Cards, has been nothing less than excellent after recovering from the foot injury that sidelined him from late May to late June — since rejoining Quatraro's rotation, he's 4-1 with a 2.54 ERA in eight starts, four of them quality. He didn't get the decision in his last outing, a 3-2 KC victory over Detroit six days ago, but gave up only two runs in six innings.

Wacha beat St. Louis in the nightcap of the clubs' July 10 doubleheader, going five innings and surrendering three runs. He's 8-6, 3.55 overall this season.

Who will start for St. Louis this evening?

Andre Pallante gets the call for the Cardinals tonight. The right-hander is 4-6 with a 4.43 ERA in 20 appearances, including 11 starts, and lost to the Royals in the first game of July 10's doubleheader at Busch Stadium. Kansas City nicked him for four runs in 6.1 innings.

Pallante hasn't won since beating Cincinnati June 28.

Both teams are in the thick of playoff races

Tonight's contest has definite postseason implications. The third-place Royals enter the game 3.5 games behind first-place Cleveland in the American League Central, and are guarding a slim 1.5 game lead over Boston for the AL's third Wild Card.

St. Louis is only seven games behind first-place Milwaukee in the National League Central, but is in the NL Wild Card hunt — the Cards are 1.5 games behind in the chase for the NL's third spot.

Who's in Kansas City's starting lineup?

Here's how the Royals will take the field (note the updates):

Who's in the St. Louis lineup against the KC Royals?

Where can fans find the game?

Bally Sports Kanas City and Bally Sports Midwest are televising the contest; Royals streaming options are here. KCSP-AM 610 Sports Radio has the broadcast, as do the other affiliates of the Royals Radio Network.

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