(My Sportsbook) - Brian Bannister hopes to avoid his 16th loss of the season this afternoon when the Kansas City Royals try for their third straight win over the Cleveland Indians in the finale of a four-game series at Progressive Field.

Bannister fell to 0-9 in his last 13 starts on Tuesday in Minnesota, as the Twins roughed him up for seven runs and 10 hits in just 3 2/3 innings, dropping him to 7-15 on the year to go along with a 5.81 earned run average.

The 27-year-old righty is 2-1 in four starts versus the Indians with a 1.33 ERA.

Kansas City's bats exploded on Saturday, as it swept a doubleheader from the Tribe, winning game one, 8-3, before claiming an 8-4 victory in the nightcap. Mark Teahan had three hits in the first game and belted a pair of home runs in the second contest, as the Royals totaled 31 hits on the day.

Lifetime against the Indians Teahan is hitting .323 with six home runs and 26 RBI in 53 games.

Ryan Garko his first home run since August 19 in the second game, as Cleveland has now lost three of its last four games.

Getting the ball for the Tribe this afternoon will be 25-year-old lefty Jeremy Sowers, who is 3-8 with a 5.60 ERA. Sowers picked up the win on Tuesday with one of his best efforts of the season against Baltimore, as he allowed a run and four hits in eight innings.

Sowers has faced the Royals three times and is 2-1 in those outings with a 2.50 ERA.

Cleveland has won 10 of its 17 meetings with the Royals this season.