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Rangers-Royals Preview

Aug 30, 2010 - 12:36 AM By MATT BEARDMORE STATS Writer

Texas (73-56) at Kansas City (54-75), 8:10 p.m. EDT

The Texas Rangers boast the best home record in the AL. They also own the worst road mark of any division leader in the league.

The Rangers have still managed to build the biggest division lead in baseball, and they may need it starting Monday night when they open a season high-tying 10-game trip against the Kansas City Royals.

Texas (73-57) dropped two of three to Oakland over the weekend, capping a 4-3 homestand with an 8-2 loss Sunday, but has a 7 1/2-game edge in the AL West. That's due to their 43-26 home record, which has been more than enough to overcome a 30-31 mark on the road.

The Rangers play 20 of their next 25 away from Arlington, and they'll turn to C.J. Wilson (13-5, 3.02 ERA) to get the key stretch started off right. The left-hander, who lead the club in victories, has gone 6-0 with a 2.29 ERA in eight starts since the All-Star break.

He won his third straight outing Wednesday, giving up three runs over six innings of a 4-3 victory over Minnesota.

Wilson got help from one of the major leagues' best bullpens, as five relievers held down the Twins. Texas relievers have a 3.28 ERA.

"Just the wolfpack, they came in there and just everybody took a bite, it was pretty cool," Wilson said. "Every single guy stepped up. It was awesome."

In his first start versus the Royals after 10 relief appearances against them, Wilson threw a five-hitter in a 4-1 home win May 7.

The Rangers have dropped seven of nine on the road, and they'll be playing a Royals club that has gone 9-4 in its last 13 home games. Kansas City (55-75) lost eight of 10 at Kauffman Stadium before that stretch.

The Royals will give the ball to Kyle Davies (6-8, 5.41), who is looking to bounce back from one of his poorest starts. He surrendered seven runs and a career-worst 12 hits in 4 2-3 innings of a 9-1 loss at Detroit on Tuesday.

The right-hander was even worse in a 13-12 road loss to Texas on May 6, giving up a career high-tying nine runs in four innings. He is 0-3 with a 7.62 ERA in six starts versus the Rangers.

Davies could be in for another short night if he can't cool off Josh Hamilton. The major leagues' leading hitter at .359, Hamilton has batted .432 with five homers and 14 RBIs in the last 10 games.

The left fielder is one home run shy of matching his career high of 32, set in 2008.

Hamilton, though, is hitting .200 (16 for 80) in his career against Kansas City - his lowest average against any AL team.

Rangers right fielder Nelson Cruz is expected to start Monday following a stint on the disabled list due to a strained left hamstring.

The Royals' Mitch Maier has batted .364 (8 for 22) versus the Rangers this season, but his team has lost five of the six meetings.