Kansas City @ Texas preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 22, 2014 ) Texas 4, Kansas City 8

The Kansas City Royals enjoyed a day off on Thursday and watched their lead in the American League Central increase. The Royals will try to put some more distance between themselves and the Detroit Tigers when they visit the AL-worst Texas Rangers in the opener of a three-game series on Friday. Kansas City owns a 1 1/2-game lead in the Central thanks to a stretch of 22 wins in the last 28 games, though a three-game winning streak came to an end on Wednesday.

The Rangers are four games behind the Houston Astros in the race to avoid the worst record in the AL and have won two of three, including a 5-4 triumph at Miami on Wednesday in which they nearly squandered a five-run lead. The five-run outburst from the offense marked the most runs Texas had scored since a 6-2 victory at Houston on Aug. 10. The Royals are 4-2 on the current road trip and have taken 11 of their last 14 away from Kansas City.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Yordano Ventura (9-9, 3.48 ERA) vs. Rangers RH Colby Lewis (8-10, 5.52)

Ventura has not allowed more than three earned runs in any of his last five starts but is struggling with his control of late. The 23-year-old issued a total of 10 walks in his last two starts, including six over 6 2/3 innings in a loss at Minnesota on Saturday. Ventura is making his first career start against Texas and is 5-3 with a 3.62 ERA in 10 starts on the road in 2014.

Lewis is the one consistent piece in the Rangers rotation and notched a season high with 10 strikeouts on Saturday against the Los Angeles Angels. However, the veteran was knocked around for five runs on 10 hits - two home runs - in that turn to suffer his second straight loss. Lewis does not have much success in his career against Kansas City, posting a 1-2 record with a 6.86 ERA in five games - four starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. Royals C Salvador Perez (sore right knee) sat out Wednesday and is day-to-day.

2. Texas 3B Adrian Beltre is 9-for-19 over the last five games.

3. Kansas City 1B/DH Billy Butler is batting .327 over the last 28 games.

PREDICTION: Royals 7, Rangers 3