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Jul 4, 2009 - 4:50 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Chicago (41-38) at Kansas City (33-45), 1:10 p.m. EDT

Strong starting pitching has helped pace the Chicago White Sox during their most successful stretch of the season. Gavin Floyd has done his part to help.

The right-hander looks for a fourth straight winning decision while trying to help the White Sox to an eighth consecutive victory Saturday in the continuation of a four-game road set with the Kansas City Royals.

One night after Mark Buehrle allowed one run in 8 1-3 innings, John Danks threw 7 1-3 strong innings as Chicago (42-38) won 5-0 at Kansas City on Friday.

The White Sox have won 11 of their last 13 games overall, and seven straight and 15 of 19 on the road.

"I think we're playing really well right now," Danks said. "We don't want to get ahead of ourselves. there's still a lot of baseball to be played.

Much of Chicago's success has been due to a rotation that has a 2.66 ERA in the last 13 games.

Floyd (6-5, 4.12 ERA) allowed five hits in 7 2-3 scoreless innings of a 6-3 win at Cleveland on Monday. He has allowed four earned runs over his last five starts and is 4-1 with a 1.39 ERA in his last eight outings.

"Outstanding," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said of Floyd. "The last three or four starts he has been great."

Floyd, though, is 1-4 with a 4.58 ERA in his previous six starts against Kansas City. He's 0-1 with a 6.00 ERA in two outings versus the Royals this season.

On Friday, A.J. Pierzynski had three hits with a homer, and Scott Podsednik also added three hits for Chicago, which is batting .348 and outscoring opponents 46-17 during its longest undefeated stretch since winning seven in a row twice last season. The White Sox did it from June 3-9, 2008, and June 26-July 2, 2008. They last won eight in a row May 14-22, 2008.

Signed to a minor league contract in mid-April, Podsednik is batting .317 in 55 games during his second stint with the White Sox. He's 15 for 31 (.484) with six RBIs in seven games against the Royals this season.

Pierzynski is 19 for 38 against in 2009 versus Kansas City, which sends Luke Hochevar (3-3, 4.96) to the mound.

The right-hander allowed two runs while walking four in seven scoreless innings of a 4-2 win over Minnesota on Monday.

"To just figure it out and bide my time until I got my fastball command back was big for me, and a step in the right direction," Hochevar told the Royals' official Web site.

Hochevar is 0-2 with a 5.30 ERA in three starts versus the White Sox.

Left-fielder David DeJesus had two hits Friday for the Royals (33-46), who've scored three runs while losing their last four contests. One of the few current bright spots for Kansas City, DeJesus is batting .346 (9 for 26) during a six-game hitting streak.

Kansas City has been outscored 32-10 in losing five in a row to the White Sox.