Royals, White Sox hope to get series underway in KC

Battling not only the rest of the American League, the Kansas City Royals try to fend off Mother Nature again on Saturday night as they attempt to get their series against the Chicago White Sox underway at Kauffman Stadium.

Not only did the Royals have their series finale against Tampa Bay postponed on Thursday because of wintry conditions, the team also had the series opener with the Sox called off Friday due to inclement weather. Friday's contest is now scheduled for Monday afternoon.

The break in the action couldn't come at a worse time for Kansas City, with the team having won two in a row and seven of the last 10 in order to move five games over .500 and just a half game behind Detroit in the AL Central heading into the weekend.

Now in his third season in the majors, Dylan Axelrod again tries for his first win of 2013 for the White Sox as he takes the mound for the sixth time. The right-hander, who has only a loss against Washington the second week of April to show for his efforts, was used sparingly in his first two campaigns as this is just his 24th all-time appearance.

Axelrod last pitched on Sunday when he permitted three runs on four hits -- two home runs -- and struck out three over six innings in an 8-3 setback versus Tampa Bay.

The California native won his only previous career outing against Kansas City.

In comparison, this is the second game of this season for KC starter Jeremy Guthrie against the White Sox, having earned a win back on April 4 in a 3-1 final in order to even his all-time mark versus the Sox to 5-5.

More recently the right-hander threw 6 2/3 shutout innings versus Cleveland at home on Sunday in a 9-0 victory. Guthrie was touched for six hits and walked three, while striking out five as he registered his third win in as many decisions in 2013.

More than simply being undefeated so far this season, Guthrie has actually gone a total of 16 straight games without suffering a setback, the longest run for a Royals hurler since Paul Splittorff had a similar streak back in 1977-78.

Guthrie is the first pitcher with such a 16-start stretch since the Braves' Kris Medlen, whose undefeated streak lasted from May 31, 2009, to last Sept. 30.

"I knew it's been a number of starts in a row, because people kept reminding me of it," said Guthrie. "Ultimately, it means a lot because hopefully the guys behind me when I go out are confident that we have a chance to win the game."

Chicago, which has lost the season series to the Royals in both 2011 and 2012, is ahead by a 2-1 margin this year after playing a three-game set at home to kick off the campaign at the start of April.