Toronto @ Kansas City preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 30, 2014 ) Toronto 2, Kansas City 4

Having already secured their first series win over Toronto since 2011, the Kansas City Royals have their eyes on a rare sweep as they host the Blue Jays in Thursday's finale of their three-game set. The Royals used clutch hitting to win the first two games, including Alcides Escobar's two-run double in the seventh inning of Wednesday's 4-2 triumph. The Royals, who haven't swept the Blue Jays in a series since 2001, send Jeremy Guthrie to the mound Thursday.

Guthrie will be tasked with continuing what a quartet of Kansas City pitchers managed to do rather effectively Wednesday - silence Toronto in high-leverage situations. The Blue Jays had plenty of opportunities to even the series but went a paltry 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position en route to their seventh loss in the last nine games. Toronto counters in the series finale with Mark Buehrle, who has been far and away the best starter on the staff so far in 2014.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, RSN (Toronto), FSN (Kansas City)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays LH Mark Buehrle (4-1, 2.16 ERA) vs. Royals RH Jeremy Guthrie (2-1, 4.22)

Buehrle endured his first rough patch of the season in his previous appearance, as he was rocked for seven runs - six earned - on 12 hits while lasting just 5 1/3 innings in a one-sided loss to the Boston Red Sox. Prior to that start, the 35-year-old had surrendered just two runs over his first four outings. Buehrle was magnificent in his most recent turn against the Royals on Aug. 30, scattering four hits and a walk over seven scoreless innings en route to a 3-2 victory.

Guthrie bounced back nicely from back-to-back sub-par outings, settling for a no-decision against host Baltimore despite limiting the Orioles to a pair of runs on six hits over seven innings. Most importantly to Guthrie, the 35-year-old kept the ball in the park against his former team after surrendering five home runs over his previous three starts. Members of the Blue Jays roster are hitting a red-hot .344 with nine home runs in 209 combined at-bats against Guthrie.

WALK-OFFS

1. Blue Jays OF Melky Cabrera is day-to-day after being hit in the leg by a pitch. Cabrera set a club record with 41 hits in the first month of the season.

2. Royals DH Billy Butler is 20-for-60 with three homers and 15 RBIs lifetime versus Buehrle.

3. Kansas City is 22-7 in Guthrie's last 29 outings following a quality start in his previous appearance.

PREDICTION: Blue Jays 5, Royals 2