Texas @ Kansas City preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 5, 2012 ) Texas 7, Kansas City 6

Adrian Beltre is leading the charge for the Texas Rangers’ offense. Beltre has hit four of the Rangers’ 13 home runs in five September games and is putting together a season that should earn him a place on MVP ballots. His three-run homer on Wednesday helped the Rangers increase their lead to five games over the Oakland Athletics. The Kansas City Royals are hoping to slow Beltre enough to earn a split of the four-game series.

The Royals have dropped four of their last six games and need a victory Thursday to clinch a winning record on their 10-game homestand. With two series each left against the Chicago White Sox and the Detroit Tigers, Kansas City is in prime position to have an impact on the AL Central race if the club can get its pitching to cooperate. The staff has surrendered at least seven runs in each of the last three losses. The Rangers hold the best record in the AL and have continued to climb while their closest competitors pick on each other. Texas has won 13 of its last 18 games.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FSH (Texas), FSKC (Kansas City)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rangers RH Scott Feldman (6-11, 5.01 ERA) vs. Royals RH Luke Hochevar (7-13, 5.34)

Feldman has suffered the loss in each of his last five starts while posting a 6.35 ERA. The right-hander has only one quality start in that span and was tagged for four runs in six innings at Cleveland on Saturday. Feldman had been 3-0 with a 1.19 ERA in his first three starts since becoming a permanent member of the rotation on July 23. His last win in that stretch came against Kansas City on Aug. 4, when he allowed two runs on six hits in 7 2/3 innings.

Hochevar is trying to put a disastrous start behind him. The former No. 1 overall pick had gone at least seven innings in three straight starts before being knocked out in the second against Minnesota last Saturday. Hochevar was charged with eight runs on six hits while walking four and recording only five outs to balloon his ERA from 4.93 to 5.34. He was charged with five runs (one earned) on four hits over six innings in a no decision against Texas on Aug. 5 and has never lost to the Rangers in five career starts, going 2-0 with a 2.78 ERA.

WALK-OFFS

1. Beltre is 5-for-13 with three doubles and one RBI in his career against Hochevar.

2. Royals DH Billy Butler doubled three times on Wednesday and has hit in seven straight games and 12 of the last 13.

3. The Rangers signed 16-year old 3B Juremi Profar, the younger brother of top prospect Jurickson Profar.