Instant Replay: Royals 13, Phillies 4

Share

BOX SCORE

A promising start to a late-afternoon home opener turned ugly by early evening as the Phillies stumbled to a 13-4 loss to the Kansas City Royals on Friday.

The Phils -- and the sellout crowd -- enjoyed a 4-0 lead after three innings, but starter Kyle Kendrick and reliever Jeremy Horst could not protect the lead as the Royals’ bats erupted in the middle innings.

The Phillies had nine hits, but none after the third inning.

The Royals had just two hits entering the fifth inning and finished with 18. All their runs came in the final five innings.

By the seventh inning, the Phillies were hearing boos.

The Phils are 1-3. Kansas City is 2-2.

Starting pitching report
Kendrick (0-1) got off to a good start, pitching shutout ball for the first four innings before allowing a total of five runs in the fifth and sixth as the Royals rallied for a 5-4 lead. Kendrick left leading 4-2 with the bases loaded and two outs in the sixth. All three runners scored on a triple off Horst.

In all, Kendrick went 5 2/3 innings, allowed eight hits and five runs. Six of the hits that Kendrick gave up came in the fifth and sixth innings.

Kendrick, Cole Hamels and Roy Halladay have combined to give up 15 earned runs in 14 innings over three starts (9.64). Four games into the season, Cliff Lee owns the only quality start.

Kansas City right-hander Wade Davis allowed nine hits and four runs in four innings. Davis allowed two home runs.

Bullpen report
Phillies relievers were tagged for 11 hits and eight runs.

Horst allowed three inherited runners to score in giving up the lead in the sixth. He then allowed a walk and two singles to open the seventh before leaving the game with the bases loaded. All of those base runners scored with Chad Durbin on the mound.

Lefty Bruce Chen got the win.

At the plate
Domonic Brown and Erik Kratz homered for the Phils.

Alex Gordon and Chris Getz both had three-run triples for the Royals. Alcides Escibar homered.

Gordon’s three-run triple against Horst in the sixth gave the Royals a 5-4 lead.

An inning later, Durbin allowed a three-run triple to Getz as the Royals broke the game open.

In the field
Centerfielder Ben Revere made a long sprint and diving catch to take away a potential hit from Gordon in the third.

Leftfielder Brown let Getz’ line drive get by him in the seventh. Brown dove and missed the ball and it went for a three-run triple. Brown probably should have played the ball on a bounce and kept it in front of him.

Up next
Lefty John Lannan makes his Phillies debut Saturday against Kansas City right-hander Luis Mendoza.

Contact Us