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MIN@KC: Guthrie collects his first Royals strikeout

It hasn't exactly been smooth sailing recently for the Rangers, who just wrapped up a 9-14 July, marking their fewest wins in a month since May 2007.

Now, as Texas tries to get back on the right track, the schedule is not playing in the team's favor. Beginning with Friday's game against the Royals in Kansas City, the Rangers are set to embark on a quick two-city, six-game road trip. However, 13 of their next 16 games are away from home.

Although Texas manager Ron Washington said the next stretch of action is important, he doesn't like to place extra significance on any specific games or series at this point.

"The key is just to keep winning as many baseball games as you can and don't take one part of the schedule and say this is the 'make-or-break' part," Washington said. "If you start thinking like that, your mind is not on what it's supposed to be, and that's just trying to win that day."

The Rangers began August with two wins thanks to explosive offensive outbursts. If history is any indication, that very likely will continue on Friday. Texas hitters have had significant success against Royals starter Jeremy Guthrie.

Michael Young has the best career numbers against Guthrie, batting .400 (10-for-25) with three doubles a home run and five RBIs. Similarly, Elvis Andrus is 6-for-13 with two doubles, and while Josh Hamilton is just 5-for-27 when facing the 33-year-old right-hander, he also has two doubles and two home runs entering Friday.

Guthrie, who was traded from the Rockies on July 20, struggled in his first start at Kauffman Stadium last Friday, giving up six runs on 11 hits in 5 1/3 innings. Guthrie said he would look at what has made some of the Rangers successful against him in the past, but he didn't plan on changing much of what he does.

"Just try to do the same things I've done in the past," said Guthrie, who is winless in two starts with the Royals. "Be aggressive and get ahead and make them hit your pitch."

Royals: Francoeur expected to return
After sitting out four straight games, a slumping Jeff Francoeur is expected to return to the lineup on Friday.

Manager Ned Yost gave Francoeur some time off after going 1-for-4 on Saturday against the Mariners. That was his first hit in three games, as the 28-year-old right fielder finished July with a .178 average for the month.

"It gives you an opportunity to spend some time in the cage and work on some areas you need to work on," Yost said. "Plus it kind of cleanses your mind a little bit, because it gets you to take a step back and relax a little bit if you allow yourself to do it."

Yost said right field was still Francoeur's despite his struggles. However, Yost also said baseball is about production, and if Francoeur continues to not produce, it's possible he could look at going to a platoon situation.

"I don't think we're there yet, but [Francoeur's] a guy that we counted on a lot for production this year," Yost said. "I think this little bit of a break is going to help him get back to where he was. It's not been from lack of trying, but the bottom line is -- for all of us -- is that we step on the field and we produce."

Rangers: Harrison looks to snap rare losing streak
Few players in baseball likely are happier to be done with July than starting pitcher Matt Harrison.

In four starts last month, Harrison was 1-3 with a 3.30 ERA. He lost back-to-back starts for the first time since last June while allowing multiple home runs in a game for the second time this year in a 5-2 loss on Saturday. All that just one month removed from going 5-0 with a 1.29 ERA on the way to being named American League Pitcher of the Month in June.

Harrison will look to regain some of that May magic on Friday, when he takes on the Royals. It will be his fifth start against Kansas City, and he enters the game with a 2-1 record and a 4.70 ERA in five total appearances against the Royals.

Worth noting
• Royals designated hitter Billy Butler enters Friday batting 7-for-10 with a double, a home run and three RBIs against Harrison.

• The Royals rank fifth in the Majors in batting average at home (.282), just behind the Rangers in fourth (.283). Meanwhile, Texas heads into Friday with the best road batting average (.270) in baseball.

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