Kansas City @ Texas preview

Last Meeting ( May 31, 2013 ) Kansas City 2, Texas 7

The decision to let Josh Hamilton leave via free agency has not had an adverse effect on the Texas Rangers, who have carved out the best record in the American League entering the middle game of their three-game set against the visiting Kansas City Royals on Saturday. The big bats in the middle of the lineup have started to heat up for Texas. Adrian Beltre and Nelson Cruz each homered in the series opener to extend their respective batting streaks to eight and six games.

The Royals didn't arrive at their hotel in Texas until 7 a.m. local time Friday morning following a marathon the previous night and they did not show much of a pulse in the series opener. Of course, Kansas City spent nearly the entire month of May sleepwalking, losing 20 of its past 25 games. The Royals have gone 1-9 in their last 10 contests, scoring only 22 runs in the process.

TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Kansas City, Fox Sports Southwest (Texas)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH James Shields (2-6, 2.96 ERA) vs. vs. Rangers RH Nick Tepesch (3-4, 3.88)

Shields lost his fourth consecutive start with a rare clunker last time out, getting tagged for a season-high six runs and walking five in a 6-3 loss to St. Louis. He is winless in his last five turns, although he yielded a combined six earned runs over 31 innings in four outings prior to his last start. Shields is 7-3 with a 2.78 ERA and 0.93 WHIP in 11 career starts vs. Texas.

Tepesch has yet to win back-to-back starts but he's starting to show some consistency, giving up a total of five runs over his last three starts. He's had his two highest strikeout totals in that stretch, fanning six against Seattle and eight at Houston. During a five-start span in which Tepesch has gone 1-4, the Rangers put up 12 runs in his win and a combined eight in his other four turns.

WALK-OFFS

1. Beltre, who was 4-for-4 Friday and is batting .426 over the last 13 games, is 9-for-39 with 17 strikeouts lifetime against Shields.

2. Royals C Salvador Perez has been on bereavement leave since May 25 and will not return until Monday. Backups George Kottaras and Adam Moore have gone 2-for-22 in his absence.

3. Royals LF and leading hitter Alex Gordon struck out three times and grounded into a double play in four at-bats Friday.

PREDICTION: Royals 4, Rangers 3