Chicago @ Kansas City preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 14, 2011 ) Kansas City 2, Chi. White Sox 6

THE STORY: Two division rivals going in opposite directions will clash when the Kansas City Royals host the Chicago White Sox in the opener of a four-game series Thursday night. Surprisingly, it’s the Royals who are on a roll, having ripped off four straight victories to improve to 9-5 in September. The White Sox limp into town having lost four straight, including a sweep at home by the streaking Detroit Tigers, to fall to 5-9 this month. Chicago’s Mark Buehrle will oppose Jeff Francis in a matchup of lefthanders.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, CSN+, FSKC

PITCHING MATCHUP: White Sox LH Mark Buehrle (11-8, 3.58 ERA) vs. Royals LH Jeff Francis (5-16, 4.88 ERA).

Buehrle has enjoyed spectacular success in his career against Kansas City, amassing a 22-11 record with a 3.64 ERA in 50 appearances (48 starts). He’ll hope the sight of the Royals will help him rebound from back-to-back losses in which he’s been battered for 15 runs and 18 hits in only nine innings.

Francis will be making his final start of the season following a decision to shut him down as he approaches 180 innings. He is 1-5 in his last eight starts and, like Buehrle, was roughed up in losing his last two outings. Francis has allowed nine runs and 18 hits in just 8 1/3 innings.

ABOUT THE ROYALS (63-86): Kansas City pounded out 14 hits to match its longest winning streak of the season in completing a two-game sweep of the lowly Twins. Rookie Mike Moustakas has hit in five straight games, including his third three-hit game of the season Wednesday. He ended a drought of 281 at-bats without a homer Tuesday night. Alex Gordon is 10-for-24 with two homers and seven RBIs during a five-game hitting streak. Backup catcher Salvador Perez had two hits to extend his streak to eight games.

ABOUT THE WHITE SOX (73-75): Chicago had hopes of catching AL Central-leading Detroit at the start of the month, but the Tigers ripped off 12 straight wins, including a pair of three-game sweeps of the White Sox to pull away. Chicago blew a three-run, ninth-inning lead in a 10-inning loss to Detroit on Wednesday and was blitzed for 60 runs in the six meetings with the Tigers. Paul Konerko broke out of a 1-for-14 slump with two hits and two RBIs. Alexei Ramirez had his career-high 30th double to drive in a pair of runs.

FINAL PITCH: Royals closer Joakim Soria was unavailable Wednesday due to a strained right hamstring. He’s considered day-to-day. Soria has 28 saves and needs two more to join Dan Quisenberry as the only Kansas City pitchers to record four consecutive seasons of 30 saves or more.