Boston @ Kansas City preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 9, 2013 ) Boston 6, Kansas City 9

The Kansas City Royals try for their 16th victory in 18 games when they host the Boston Red Sox on Saturday in the third contest of a four-game series. Kansas City, which is 4 1/2 games behind Texas for the final American League wild-card spot, made it two straight over Boston when it erased a three-run deficit with six in the sixth inning of Friday's 9-6 win. The Red Sox, who have lost four of five to the Royals this season, own a two-game lead over the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East.

Jeremy Guthrie is 8-2 with a 3.77 ERA in 11 starts at home this season and 12-4 at Kauffman Stadium since being acquired from Colorado in 2012. The right-hander has won four straight starts overall to raise his season total to a career-high 12 but is 3-8 with a 4.94 ERA against Boston. Guthrie will oppose Felix Doubront, who hasn't yielded more than three earned runs in 15 consecutive starts - the longest stretch by a Boston pitcher since Tim Wakefield recorded 17 straight in 1995.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), FSN (Kansas City)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox LH Felix Doubront (8-5, 3.56 ERA) vs. Royals RH Jeremy Guthrie (12-7, 3.96)

Doubront allowed five hits over seven innings in Boston's 4-0 victory over Arizona on Sunday to snap a two-start losing streak. The 25-year-old Venezuelan is 4-2 with a 2.10 ERA in his last six starts while proving to be the Red Sox's most consistent starter this season. "It’s been in him this whole time,” Boston catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia said. “He’s really stepped it up for us and become one of our top pitchers, and at a good time. We need this.”

Guthrie pitched a four-hitter for his second career shutout as Kansas City improved to 16-4 in his 20 home starts with a 13-0 victory over Minnesota on Monday. The 34-year-old has been tough on right-handed batters (.220 average), but lefties are raking him at a .300 clip. David Ortiz and Jacoby Ellsbury - Boston's top two left-handed batters - are hitting a combined .363 in 80 at-bats, with Ortiz recording three home runs and nine RBIs in 38 at-bats against him.

WALK-OFFS

1. Royals CF Justin Maxwell went 3-for-5 on Friday with a solo home run in the second inning. He added a pair of singles in the sixth, the second driving in the final run of the uprising.

2. The Red Sox hadn't allowed as many as six runs in a frame since Cleveland scored six in the sixth inning of a 12-3 loss on May 23.

3. Kansas City leads the all-time series 222-220.

PREDICTION: Royals 3, Red Sox 2