Kansas City @ Texas preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 30, 2016 ) Kansas City 1, Texas 2

The Texas Rangers seemingly have awakened from their post-Midsummer Classic malaise, while the Kansas City Royals still appear to be mired in a slumber they can't shake. The Rangers eye their sixth straight victory against the Royals and a home sweep of the defending World Series champions on Sunday, when the teams complete their four-game series.

Texas dropped six of its first seven following the All-Star break, but it has regained all but one-half game of the 5 1/2-game cushion it held in the American League West on July 10 by winning six of eight. The Rangers posted their latest victory in dramatic fashion Saturday, as Mitch Moreland continued to haunt Kansas City in this series when he delivered a two-out, walk-off solo blast in the ninth inning in a 2-1 triumph. Moreland is 6-for-10 with three home runs this weekend and has at least one RBI in every contest during his five-game hitting streak. The Royals (49-54) have dropped seven of their last eight to fall five games under .500 for the first time since the end of the 2012 season and own the worst road mark in the majors (17-35).
TV: 3:05 p.m. ET, FSN Kansas City, FSN Southwest (Texas)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Dillon Gee (3-4, 4.54 ERA) vs. Rangers RH Lucas Harrell (2-2, 3.38)
Gee continued to struggle as a starter in Tuesday's loss to the Los Angeles Angels, surrendering five runs on 10 hits and two walks across five innings to fall to 2-4 with a 6.43 ERA in six turns. The 30-year-old Texan has worked no more than 5 1/3 frames this season, yet he has given up at least four runs in half of his six starts. Gee beat the Rangers in his only outing against them back in 2011, allowing three runs over six innings as a member of the New York Mets.
Harrell, who was acquired from Atlanta on Wednesday in a three-player deal, made his last outing with the Braves a strong one a day earlier, yielding four hits and three walks over six scoreless innings en route to a win at Minnesota. The Missouri native will make his sixth start since receiving his promotion from the minors on July 2 and has worked at least six frames in four of his five trips to the mound. Harrell has drawn three starts versus the Royals in his career, going 0-1 with a 5.87 ERA.

WALK-OFFS

1. After going hitless in 17 at-bats from July 16-23, Rangers INF/OF Jurickson Profar is 9-for-25 over his last eight contests.
2. Royals RHP Wade Davis flew back to Kansas City before the start of Saturday's game for an MRI on his right arm. He spent the first half of the month on the disabled list with a forearm strain.
3. All seven of the Rangers' homers in this series have been solo shots and 34 of the team's 57 runs since the All-Star break have come via the home run.

PREDICTION: Rangers 7, Royals 3