Phillies at Royals
The Philadelphia Phillies answered a feeble performance in the opener of their six-game road trip with a pair of dominant ones to strengthen their standing atop the National League East. The Phillies look to put forth another strong effort on Friday when they begin the second leg of their trek through the "Show Me" State with the opener of a three-game interleague series versus the Kansas City Royals.
Cesar Hernandez went deep to highlight his three-hit performance in Wednesday's 5-0 victory over St. Louis to improve to 35-for-98 with 11 extra-base hits (eight doubles, three homers) and 10 RBIs in his last 26 games. Philadelphia has won nine of its last 13 due in large part to strong starting pitching, with the hurlers posting a 2.42 ERA in that stretch. Former National League Cy Young Award recipient Jake Arrieta will aim to keep Kansas City's bats at bay after the club fell for the fifth time in seven outings following Wednesday's 9-0 setback at Houston. Billy Hamilton had two of the three hits for the Royals in that contest, improving to 4-for-12 in the series after a miserable 2-for-24 stretch.
TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, NBCS Philadelphia, FS Kansas City
PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH Jake Arrieta (4-2, 3.40 ERA) vs. Royals RH Homer Bailey (3-3, 5.25)
Arrieta worked at least six innings for the seventh time in eight starts on Saturday but was left with a no-decision despite allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits against Washington. The 33-year-old will be making just his third start on the road after splitting the first two and allowing just one homer and an ERA of 2.77 while striking out 15 against two walks. Hamilton (3-for-18) and Martin Maldonado (2-for-11) have struggled versus Arrieta, who sports a 2-0 mark with a 3.70 ERA in four career starts against the Royals.
Bailey snapped a two-start losing skid in which he recorded consecutive four-run outings by allowing just two runs in six innings of a 15-3 romp at Detroit on Saturday. The 33-year-old was taken deep for the first time since surrendering three homers in a 13-5 setback to Seattle on April 8. Andrew McCutchen is 16-for-51 with 11 walks against Bailey, who owns a 1-4 record with a 3.74 ERA in 11 career starts versus the Phillies.
WALK-OFFS
1. Kansas City RF Jorge Soler is 10-for-28 with two homers, five RBIs and six runs scored in his last six games.
2. Phillies C J.T. Realmuto has thrown out a majors-best 12 runners heading into the series with the Royals, whose 37 stolen bases are more than any team.
3. Kansas City, which begins interleague play on Friday, went 6-14 against the National League last season.