The Kansas City Royals hit the road Friday night, July 31, making the trip to Denver for an 8:40 PM ET first pitch at Coors Field against the Colorado Rockies. Michael Wacha takes the ball for Kansas City against Rockies right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano. With the regular season firmly in its second half, every series carries weight in the standings, and a trip to altitude-friendly Coors Field is never a gimme for any pitching staff. How Wacha handles one of the most hitter-friendly environments in baseball will go a long way toward setting the tone for this series.

Starting Pitchers: Wacha vs. Sugano

Michael Wacha draws the assignment for the Royals, and this is exactly the kind of spot where veteran experience matters. Coors Field has a way of exposing pitchers who lack command or rely too heavily on fly-ball contact, and Wacha will need to work the bottom of the zone and generate weak contact early in counts. Keeping the ball on the ground at elevation is easier said than done, but it's the blueprint for success in Denver.

On the other side, Tomoyuki Sugano takes the hill for Colorado. Sugano is a pitch-to-contact style arm, and the Royals will need to make him work deep into at-bats to get into Colorado's bullpen as early as possible. Patient at-bats against Sugano will be the key — let him throw strikes and punish his mistakes.

Kansas City Royals Starting Lineup

• Carter Jensen, C
• Lane Thomas, CF
• Jac Caglianone, 1B
• Salvador Perez, DH
• Michael Massey, 2B
• Isaac Collins, LF
• John Rave, RF
• Josh Rojas, 3B
• Andrew Velazquez, SS

Colorado Rockies Starting Lineup

• Jake McCarthy, LF
• Mickey Moniak, DH
• Hunter Goodman, C
• TJ Rumfield, 1B
• Kyle Karros, 3B
• Tyler Freeman, 2B
• Troy Johnston, RF
• Brenton Doyle, CF
• Ezequiel Tovar, SS

Keys to Watch for Kansas City

Salvador Perez Batting Cleanup

Salvy slides into the cleanup spot as the designated hitter, and his presence in the middle of this lineup gives the Royals a genuine middle-of-the-order threat. If Caglianone can get on base ahead of him, Perez has the kind of power that plays anywhere — including a mile above sea level.

Jac Caglianone in the Three Hole

The young first baseman hits third, which signals the trust Kansas City is placing in him to be a run producer. Coors Field can be a confidence-builder for a hitter with power, and Caglianone will have a chance to make some noise in this environment.

Wacha's Pitch Mix at Altitude

Breaking balls behave differently at Coors Field — they don't break as sharply, and fly balls carry further. Wacha will need to be disciplined with his pitch selection and lean on sinking action to keep the Rockies lineup off the bases. The first three innings will tell the story.

How to Watch and Listen

Friday's game can be seen on Royals.TV or Rockies.TV. Radio coverage is available on 96.5 The Fan and the Royals Radio Network. Spanish-language listeners can tune in to KNRV 1150.

Prediction

Coors Field is always a wild card, but the Royals have enough lineup depth to put up runs in Denver. The concern, as always, is keeping Wacha's pitch count manageable before the altitude starts to factor in. Expect a high-scoring game — Royals 7, Rockies 5.