Houston's got a problem: Royals' Cain has Astros' number
The Houston Astros visit the Kansas City Royals this weekend for a three-game series at The K, and you have to believe Lorenzo Cain is excited for the matchup.
The Royals center fielder has taken full advantage of his opportunities against Astros pitching over his career.
Active Players, Highest Career BA vs. Astros (min 50 AB)
| Player | Batting Average |
| Ichiro Suzuki | .441 |
| Dustin Pedroia | .419 |
| Lorenzo Cain | .396 (21/53) |
| Allen Craig | .388 |
| Michael Cuddyer | .387 |
The Royals and Astros have dominated the late innings this season, which means you should probably think twice before changing the channel from FOX Sports Kansas City this weekend. You never know what you might miss.
Highest Run Differential, Seventh Inning On
| Team | RS | RA | Diff |
| Houston Astros | 149 | 98 | +51 |
| Kansas City Royals | 125 | 78 | +47 |
| Toronto Blue Jays | 149 | 116 | +33 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 123 | 100 | +23 |
Jeremy Guthrie has been a much more effective pitcher at home this season.
AL Pitchers, Largest ERA Difference, Home/Road
| Player | Home | Road | Difference |
| Drew Huchinson (TOR) | 2.21 | 8.81 | 6.60 |
| Mike Pelfrey (MIN) | 2.22 | 5.68 | 3.46 |
| Jeremy Guthrie (KC) | 3.81 | 7.19 | 3.38 |
| Ubaldo Jimenez (BAL) | 2.06 | 5.25 | 3.19 |
| J.A. Happ (SEA) | 2.66 | 5.37 | 2.71 |
Alex Rios has successfully reached base at least once in each of his last 12 games.
AL Players, Most Consec Games Reaching Base, Active Streaks
| Player | Games |
| Brett Gardner (NYY) | 24 |
| Jose Reyes (TOR) | 14 |
| Francisco Cervelli (NYY) | 13 |
| Alex Rios (KC) | 12 |
| Three players tied with | 11 |
Over the last two and a half weeks, the Royals have hit their share of home runs.
Most Games with Two-plus Home Runs, Since July 7
| Team | Games |
| Kansas City Royals | 8 |
| Baltimore Orioles | 7 |
| Los Angeles | 6 |