Boston Red Sox (65-84) at Kansas City Royals (81-66), 2:10 p.m. (ET)

(SportsNetwork.com) - The Kansas City Royals will try and get back into first place in the American League Central on Sunday when they play the finale of a four-game set with the Boston Red Sox at Kauffman Stadium.

Kansas City had lost all five games it had played with the Red Sox, including the first two of this series before Jeremy Guthrie came through with eight brilliant innings on Saturday and received plenty of offensive support in the Royals' much-needed 7-1 victory.

Guthrie (11-11) yielded just three hits -- none after the third inning -- and one unearned run to keep Kansas City within a half-game of Detroit for first place in the division after the Tigers rallied to defeat Cleveland.

"It was obviously a good bounce-back outing after the last one," said Guthrie, who was shelled for eight runs -- six earned -- and 10 hits over just 2 2/3 innings by the Tigers on Monday.

Omar Infante paced a 12-hit Kansas City attack by going 3-for-4 with two RBI, with Nori Aoki and Alex Gordon each finishing with two hits while knocking in a run.

The Royals did most of their damage against Rubby De La Rosa (4-7), who lasted just four innings and was tagged for five runs.

Heading to the hill for the Royals on Sunday will be lefty Jason Vargas, who has lost three of his last four starts. Vargas was defeated by Detroit on Tuesday, as he allowed four runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings, dropping him to 11-8 to go along with a 3.25 ERA.

Vargas has faced the Red Sox six times and is 2-2 with a 3.12 ERA.

Getting the ball for Boston will be righty Joe Kelly, who is 1-2 with a 3.95 RA since being acquired from St. Louis. Kelly followed up his first win as a member of the Red Sox with a loss on Monday to Baltimore, as he surrendered four runs (3 earned) and six hits in 6 1/3 frames.

Kelly has struggled with his command since coming to Boston and has walked 25 batters with just 30 strikeouts through seven starts with the Red Sox.