(Sports Network) - The Chicago White Sox will try to avoid their first three- game losing streak since April when they resume a three-game series tonight against division-rival Kansas City at Kauffman Stadium.
The White Sox currently sit third in the division standings at two games behind Detroit thanks to their stellar play in interleague action this season. Despite dropping an 8-6 decision on Sunday to the Chicago Cubs, the White Sox finished a major league-best 15-3 in interleague play.
Wins in their division have been much tougher to come by and the ChiSox fell to 12-16 against AL Central foes on Monday when Billy Butler drove in two runs to back Anthony Lerew's solid performance on the mound, as the Royals defeated Chicago, 3-1, in the opener of the set.
Lerew (1-1) gave up one run on three hits in six innings to pick up his first win in the majors. Lerew, who was appearing in just his 17th career game, fanned four batters and walked one.
Carlos Quentin hit a solo homer for the White Sox, who have now dropped two straight following a season-high 11-game winning streak.
Mark Buehrle, who was riding a three-start winning streak, lasted 6 1/3 frames, giving up three runs on 10 hits to suffer the loss. He also walked a season-high five batters and struck out two, falling to 20-11 in 45 career games (43 starts) versus Kansas City.
"Leading the league in hitting, I guess they had to find the holes like they did," Buehrle said. "Even after I came out, there were infield base hits. I made some pitches. They were just finding holes."
Gavin Floyd will try to get Chicago, which hasn't dropped three straight since a four-game skid from April 15-18, back on track tonight but the right-hander has never won at Kauffman Stadium. Floyd is a miserable 0-4 with a 7.53 earned run average in his previous five starts in Kansas City -- all White Sox setbacks.
Floyd, however, has been solid lately, pitching to a 0.93 ERA in his last four outings. His teammates, however, have given him little run support. In fact, the White Sox have scored two runs or less in 10 of his 15 starts, including the last six.
"I'm just trying to keep the same mentality and the same approach," Floyd told the White Sox's website. " I'm just thankful that things are going in the right path."
The Royals, who will be attempting to win their fourth straight series at home, counter with Brian Bannister, who outdueled Floyd in a May 16 Royals win.
Bannister, who is 4-0 in his last four starts in Kansas City, halted a personal two-game hiccup in his last outing when he hurled six shutout innings en route to handing Washington Nationals star rookie Stephen Strasburg his first career loss.
With the win on Monday Kansas City now has a 4-3 advantage in the 2010 season series between the two clubs, including taking two of three matchups at home from May 14-16.