Kansas City Royals will face the San Diego Padres WATCH FREE BASEBALL: LIve Streaming Online MLB from Petco Park at 10:10 PM ET:

Although they've received little pitching help during a season-worst losing streak, the Royals may be in position to turn things around in the opener of a three-game set at Petco Park.

Looking for the franchise's first victory in San Diego, the Royals give the ball to hard-throwing Yordano Ventura on Monday night when they try to deal the light-hitting Padres their fifth loss in six games.

Kansas City (14-16) has posted a respectable 3.85 ERA overall, but its struggling staff has allowed seven or more runs in five of its last six games and posted an 8.00 ERA during the team's four-game skid.

Jason Vargas was the latest starter to get knocked around Sunday, giving up season highs of seven runs and 11 hits over five innings in a 9-4 loss to visiting Detroit.

Now the Royals will turn to the 22-year-old Ventura (2-1, 1.50 ERA), who allowed just two hits but piled up 92 pitches over five shutout innings Wednesday. He did not receive a decision after Kansas City rallied to break a 2-all tie in the seventh inning en route to a 4-2 home win over Toronto.

After going 1-1 with a 1.86 ERA over his previous four starts, Eric Stults (1-3, 5.34) looks to rebound after allowing a season high-tying five runs over 2 2/3 innings -- his shortest start since April 2009 -- in Tuesday's 6-0 loss at San Francisco.

The game will be live streaming online atwww.time4tv.com/2011/09/mlb-network.php‎