Boston @ Kansas City preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 28, 2011 ) Kansas City 4, Boston 3

THE STORY: After tumbling out of first place in the American League East and seeing their offense screech to a halt, the Boston Red Sox will limp – figuratively and literally – into Kansas City to open a four-game series Thursday night. It is the start of an eight-game road trip for Boston and part of a stretch where it plays 14 of 17 away from Fenway Park. The Red Sox set a franchise record for futility by managing three hits in three straight games in losing two of three at home to Tampa Bay. Designated hitter David Ortiz sat out the series with bursitis in his heel that has him in a walking boot.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, NESN (Boston), FS Kansas City

PITCHING MATCHUP: Red Sox RH Josh Beckett (9-5, 2.40 ERA) vs. Royals RH Luke Hochevar (8-9, 4.89).

With their offense running in quicksand, the Red Sox may need a big effort from Beckett, who is 6-1 lifetime against the Royals. That one loss, though, was a 4-3 defeat three weeks ago in Boston. Beckett had a rare bad effort when he was lit up for five first-inning runs by Seattle in his last outing to stretch his winless drought to four starts. He has surrendered half of his 14 home runs in his last five starts. Hochevar absorbed his first loss in his last nine starts against the Chicago White Sox on Saturday, giving up five runs on eight hits in six innings. He went 4-0 in his previous eight starts despite failing to last five innings twice. Hochevar can't complain about run support after the Royals put up 62 runs in his last nine starts. He outdueled Beckett on July 28, limiting the Red Sox to two runs in seven innings.

ABOUT THE ROYALS (51-73): Kansas City snapped a four-game losing streak and did the Red Sox a favor by beating the Yankees in Wednesday’s series finale to avert a sweep. The Royals had no trouble handling New York’s starting pitching in putting up 16 runs in the three games. Melky Cabrera extended his hitting streak to 10 games, and Billy Butler stretched his to six games with a homer and two hits. Jeff Francouer has hit safely in 12 of 14 games, but he has produced only four RBIs during that stretch. Rookie Mike Moustakas broke out of a 1-for-19 slump with three hits Wednesday.

ABOUT THE RED SOX (74-48): While his teammates fizzled at the plate against Tampa Bay, Jacoby Ellsbury continued to stamp himself as an MVP contender. He had a pair of homers, a triple and four RBIs in the series, accounting for all but one of Boston’s five runs in the three games. Adrian Gonzalez went 0-for-9 in the series but continues to lead the majors with a .346 batting average. Ortiz was batting .500 (13-for-26) with three homers and seven RBIs during a seven-game hitting streak prior to his injury. He hopes to return by the end of the road trip. Closer Jonathan Papelbon hasn’t allowed a run in 13 appearances.

FINAL PITCH: Ellsbury stole his 32nd base Wednesday. That gave him 168 for his career, tying him with Carl Yastrzemski for third all-time in franchise history. Harry Hooper is first with 300, followed by Tris Speaker (267).