Red-hot Cardinals can't beat the rain

ST. LOUIS -- The Kansas City Royals game at the St. Louis Cardinals was postponed by rain Sunday after a delay of 2 hours, 31 minutes.

No makeup date has been determined for the final game of the season series. The teams have two mutual open dates, July 23 and Aug. 4.

The Cardinals lead the season series 3-2 and outscored the Royals 7-2 the first two games of the three-game set.

The Royals will alter their rotation for a two-game series in Milwaukee with Edinson Volquez starting today and Chris Young, the scheduled starter Sunday, moving to Tuesday.

The Tuesday starting spot had been undetermined with Joe Blanton the probable pitcher.

The Cardinals will stick with John Lackey, the scheduled starter Sunday, today against Minnesota.

The rainout sent home a third straight sellout crowd for the series matching teams with the best record in the National and American leagues.

The postponement is the first at Busch Stadium since May 14, 2014, against the Cubs.

The Cardinals are 41-21 overall and 24-7 at home, both major league bests. They've won three in a row and 14 of 19, with pitchers posting a 2.13 ERA, entering a four-game home and home series with the Minnesota Twins starting tonight in St. Louis.

Royals manager Ned Yost was true to his word and had resisted shaking up the lineup even though his team has scored two or fewer runs in 12 of the last 17 games.

The Royals were 0 for 11 with runners in scoring position the first two games and are 5 for 33 the first five games of a trip that ends in Milwaukee.