The Kansas City Royals inched closer to setting an MLB record for consecutive scoreless innings Monday in their 12-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays.

According to the Associated Press (h/t ESPN.com), the Royals have now gone 43 straight innings without scoring a run. The 1968 Chicago Cubs and 1906 Philadelphia Athletics share the record at 48 innings.

The Royals have now been shut out in four consecutive games, as they were the victims of a weekend sweep at the hands of the Cleveland Indians in which they didn't score a single run.

Per the Associated Press (h/t ESPN.com), Kansas City became the first team since the 1992 Cubs to suffer four straight shutouts, and a fifth would make it the first team since at least 1913 to join that dubious club.

The Royals' last run came during a 3-2 loss to the Colorado Rockies on Aug. 24 when designated hitter Brandon Moss hit a solo home run in the second inning.

The sting of going four consecutive games without a run is made even worse by the fact that the Royals are in the thick of the American League wild-card race.

Entering play Tuesday, Kansas City trails the Minnesota Twins by three games for the second wild-card spot.

There is a level of desperation for Kansas City to turn things around and make one more World Series run since Mike Moustakas, Eric Hosmer, Lorenzo Cain, Melky Cabrera, Alcides Escobar and Jason Vargas can all become free agents during the offseason.

The Royals will face the Rays and starting pitcher Alex Cobb on Tuesday with the record on the line.