Kansas City @ Texas preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 22, 2014 ) Kansas City 6, Texas 3

The Kansas City Royals continue to draw skepticism in their drive toward a postseason berth due to an offense that struggles to hit the ball out of the yard. The Royals will try to follow up a two-homer outing with more long balls when they visit the Texas Rangers again on Saturday. The acquisition of Josh Willingham was supposed to solve some of those issues, and Willingham belted his second home run since joining the team in Friday’s 6-3 triumph.

The Royals own a 2 1/2-game lead over the Detroit Tigers in the American League Central and have won 23 of their last 29 games, including a 5-2 mark on the current nine-game road trip. The Rangers (49-78) are the only team in the majors yet to reach 50 wins and are toiling in last place in the AL West, five games behind the Houston Astros. Texas has dropped five of its last six home games and is allowing opponents an average of 6.4 runs in those five setbacks.

TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, FSN Kansas City, FSN Southwest (Texas)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Jeremy Guthrie (9-10, 4.48 ERA) vs. Rangers RH Nick Tepesch (4-7, 4.15)

Guthrie has been inconsistent since the start of July but earned a win on Sunday by holding Minnesota to four runs on five hits in seven innings. The veteran yielded at least four earned runs in five of his last eight outings but is 4-4 in that span thanks to some help from his offense. Guthrie picked up the win in his last three road starts and is 4-4 with a 3.82 ERA in 15 career games - 12 starts - against Texas.

Tepesch has not allowed more than three runs in any of his last five turns and went seven innings in the last two without factoring in the decision. The 25-year-old surrendered two runs on six hits and four walks against Los Angeles on Sunday but avoided a loss when the Rangers got to the Angels’ bullpen. Tepesch faced Kansas City once in his 2013 rookie campaign and allowed an unearned run and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings earning a decision.

WALK-OFFS

1. Rangers 3B Adrian Beltre recorded multiple hits in each of the last three games to raise his batting average to .323.

2. Kansas City RHP Wade Davis owns a streak of 23 straight scoreless appearances - the longest active run in the majors.

3. Texas RHP Yu Darvish (elbow) is eligible to come off the 15-day DL on Monday but is not yet scheduled to throw.

PREDICTION: Royals 5, Rangers 4