Phillies drop first of 10-game homestand against 36-win Royals

Final Score: Royals 7, Phillies 5

Thanks to a six-game winning streak coming into Friday, the Kansas City Royals are no longer the bottom dwellers of Major League Baseball. The Phillies, winners of three out of four in a pivotal series against the Marlins in Miami, were hoping to put an end to the young Royals’ hot streak. 

That did not happen. The Royals, who have won just 36 games this year, now ride a seven-game winning streak as they defeated the Phillies 7-5 on Friday night at Citizens Bank Park. 

It was an inauspicious beginning to the 10-game homestand for the Phillies, who are now 59-51.

Aaron Nola’s start to the month of August did not go well. He struck out eight Royals hitters, but could not avoid the long ball once again. He allowed multiple home runs in a game for the fourth time in his last seven starts. 

Budding superstar Bobby Witt Jr. hit the first of two home runs in the top of the third. Nola could not bury the leadoff hitter Maikel Garcia after getting ahead 0-2 and gave up a single. Witt Jr. demolished the first pitch, a hanging cutter, into the left field seats to tie the game at 2-2. It was the first and only cutter of the night Nola threw. 

After keeping the Royals off the board through five, Kansas City got another one back on a solo shot from No. 3 hitter Michael Massey, who pounced on a hanging curveball. Nola left the game with two runners on after allowing a single and a walk. Yunior Marte, who came into this game with 11 straight inherited runners stranded, allowed the tying and go-ahead runs to score on a double and single. The Royals ended up putting a four-spot on Nola and Marte to take a two-run lead. 

The Phillies got one back an inning later. Trea Turner gave his adoring fans what they were looking for with a base hit that scored Bryson Stott to make it 6-5. After much debate on social media, Phillies fans decided to encourage the struggling Phillies shortstop by giving him a standing ovation before every plate appearance. 

Trea Turner comes through with an RBI single, much to the delight of the crowd at Citizens Bank Park. pic.twitter.com/m33fw5xSbt

— Phillies Nation (@PhilliesNation) August 5, 2023

Kansas City added another run in the eighth on a squeeze play that scored the speedy Samad Taylor. Taylor pinch ran for MJ Melendez, who tripled to left field against Jeff Hoffman.

Nick Castellanos hit the first Phillies non solo home run in the first inning since July 2 when he drove in two on a home run to give the Phillies a 2-0 lead. It was his 16th home run of the season. 

Johan Rojas collected his first extra-base hit against a right-handed pitcher when he doubled in the fourth inning against starter Jordan Lyles, driving in two to give the Phillies a 4-2 lead. 

The Phillies will look to start another winning streak on Saturday for the second of two against Kansas City. Cristopher Sánchez takes the mound against Alec Marsh. 

Ticket IQ Next Game

• Saturday, August 5 vs. Kansas City Royals at Citizens Bank Park
• 6:05 p.m. Eastern
• TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia
• Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP

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