Houston Astros (22-40) at Kansas City Royals (26-32), 6:15 pm (CT)

Houston at Kansas City, 6:15 PM CT

TV: CSN Houston, Local Fox Station
Radio: KBME 790 AM
Royals SBNation Blog: Royals Review

Pitching Match

LHP Erik Bedard (1-2, 4.76 ERA / 1.28 WHIP) vs. RHP Ervin Santana (3-5 / 3.03 ERA / 1.06 WHIP)

Preview

The Astros will take their game to a national stage on Fox today, against the Royals.

On the mound today for the Astros is Erik Bedard. Since returning to the rotation at the start of May, Bedard has 2.79 ERA over five starts. Bedard's start last Monday against the Angels was his best of the season, seven innings of one-run baseball. This will be the second year in a row that Bedard faces the Royals on June 8. In that start last year, Bedard scattered five hits, struck out five, walked three, and allowed only two runs over seven in a win.

Ervin Santana was another piece collected this offseason by the Royals. Coming off his poorest season in Los Angeles, the Angels traded Santana for left-handed pitching prospect Brandon Sisk. This season, Sanata appears to have returned to his pre-2012 form. He has been able to pitch through the sixth inning in every single start thus far in 2013. In his last start, Santana held the Rangers lineup to one run over seven innings in a no decision. Carlos Pena is two-for-twelve against Santana with a homerun and two runs batted in. Trevor Crowe will get the start in right-field today, Crowe is one-for-three off Satana.