Royals hope to keep momentum against Astros

HOUSTON -- The Kansas City Royals have been looking for the one key hit to help them break through this season and they finally got it on Friday night from Alex Gordon, who's two-run eighth-inning double propelled it to a 5-1 win over Houston, its first victory of the season after three tough losses.

The Royals will look to keep that momentum moving forward on Saturday when they send left-hander Danny Duffy to the mound against Astros ace Dallas Keuchel in the middle game of the two teams' three-game set at Minute Maid Park in Houston.

The Royals' win over Houston on Friday marked the first time in four games that they scored more than three runs and allowed less than five. Kansas City (1-3) had 10 hits against four Houston pitchers but left 10 runners on base.

The whole attitude of the team changed with Gordon's big double, which expanded the Royals' lead to the final score.

"We knew that sooner or later we were going to break out and get the big hit, and Gordon finally did," Royals manager Ned Yost said. "We've been struggling to score runs and we'll take them any way we can get them right now."

Duffy (0-0) will make his second start of the season and 108th of his career when he faces the Astros for his first start in Houston since June 30, 2015. He's 1-2 with a 5.14 ERA (12 earned runs in 21.0 innings pitched) in six career outings (three starts) against Houston, including 1-1 with a 4.91 ERA in four outings in Minute Maid Park.

Duffy got a no-decision in Kansas City's 7-1 loss against Minnesota on Opening Day even though he held the Twins to one run -- a Miguel Sano home run -- on three hits and three walks. He also recorded eight strikeouts, matching Wally Bunker in 1970 for most strikeouts by a Royals pitcher on Opening Day.

He struggled on the road at the end of last season, going 0-2 with a 9.20 ERA in his final three road starts of 2016.

The Astros (3-2) won their first three games of the year, but have lost their past two, with their bats strangely silent, especially from star second baseman Jose Altuve, who's batting .143 with no home runs or RBI this season. Altuve struck out twice and grounded into two double plays in four at-bats Friday in the loss to the Royals.

"I have a lot of confidence in this ballclub and every single guy on this ballclub," Astros DH Carlos Beltran said. "We are going to be in good shape as a team. We just need to continue to work hard."

Keuchel (1-0) threw seven scoreless innings on Monday in the Astros' 3-0 win over Seattle in what was his third straight Opening Day start for Houston. In those three games, he has gone 3-0 with an 0.86 ERA and has pitched at least seven innings.

Overall, Keuchel is 51-47 with a 3.74 ERA (352 earned runs in 846 innings pitched) in his six big league seasons. He carries a 3-1 career record and a 3.74 ERA against the Royals in five games, all starts.

The Astros will be without right-handed starter Collin McHugh for a while longer.

McHugh, who began the season on the 10-day disabled list, had a rough outing and a physical setback in his Thursday start at Triple-A Fresno. He was scheduled to pitch five innings or throw about 80 pitches, but only lasted one inning in which he allowed three runs on three hits with a walk and a strikeout in a 26-pitch stint.

He complained of a sore right elbow and biceps. His timetable to join the Astros is to be determined.