Cristopher Sanchez has worst career start in Phillies’ blowout loss to Royals

The Royals rode a six-run first inning to take the series over the Phillies in the rubber match in blowout fashion, winning the series against the Phils, 15-1. The Royals had a season high in hits and runs this afternoon, and scored in every inning. The last time the Phillies gave up a run in every inning was all the way back in 1923. 

It was a terrible start for Cristopher Sanchez. Surprisingly, Sanchez has these types of outings, and it’s even more shocking against a Royals offense ranked near the bottom third of MLB in offensive categories. The Cy Young candidate and now two-time All-Star gave up nine runs in just 3.1 innings. Sanchez’s ERA today went from 2.00 to 2.62. 

It is the most runs Sanchez has allowed in his career, and the three home runs he surrendered are also a career high. His one lone strikeout ties his career low. The Royals went 12-for-20 off him, which also tied a career high, and you could tell right away that Sanchez looked off. After working the first batter of the game, he completely imploded, hanging his offspeed pitches, missing his corner sinkers, and his defense behind him wasn’t helping either. He was 9-for-21 on first-pitch strikes, which you don’t see from Sanchez. 

The Phillies offense did not back up Sanchez’s miserable outing, as they went completely silent after the first inning. Against Royals starter Noah Cameron, who had an ERA near 5 and had allowed 6 runs in his previous outing, the Phils dominated. Although he threw 105 pitches, he shut down the Phillies once the Royals blew it open. He struck out seven batters and escaped multiple jams, including two bases-loaded situations and one with runners on 1st and 2nd. He ended his afternoon with five innings and an eight-run lead to work with. The Phillies also left 15 runners on base.

And the Phillies gave Sanchez support in the first inning, before it all went up in flames. 

With two runners on, Alec Bohm crushed a fly ball to deep center field that hit off the wall; it would have been a home run in 22 of 30 MLB ballparks. That scored Trea Turner to make it 1-0 Phillies. The Phillies would continue to work good at-bats after Bohm’s RBI, but they ended up leaving the bases loaded with just the one run. 

Then Turner would cost the Phillies in the bottom half of the inning. With one out, Jac Caglione hit into what would have been an inning-ending double play. Instead, Turner overthrew Bryce Harper to tie the game up at one. 

A single by Nick Loftin would follow, giving the Royals the lead, and the runs just kept on coming for Kansas City. Starling Marte followed with another RBI single, and then Luke Maile, in his first at-bat of the season, blew the game wide open with a three-run home run to right-center field. By the end of the first inning, it was 6-1 Royals. 

The Phillies then left the bases loaded again for the second straight inning. In the half-inning after, Salvador Perez would blast a solo home run to left, extending the Royals’ lead to six. 

The Royals would score once in the third and 4th innings, respectively, with Tyler Tolbert lining an RBI double in the 3rd to make it 8-1, and Lane Thomas homering in the 4th to make it 9-1. Another double from Perez would get Sanchez out of the game, with runners on 2nd and 3rd. 

And it would be Tolbert again in the fifth inning, homering off of Tanner Banks to make it 10-1 Royals, as the offense continued to roll even after Sanchez was pulled. Then, to make matters worse, Kyle Schwarber was ejected the half-inning after.

The Phillies then raised the white flag in the bottom half of the sixth, with Turner and Bryce Harper all being pulled. With Kyle Backhus in, Starling Marte extended the Royals’ lead to 10 with an RBI single, making it 11-1. Two more runs scored for the Royals in the 7th, making it 13-1.

With Garrett Stubbs pitching for the first time this season, Tolbert recorded his 5th hit, going 8-for-8 this series. The last time someone did that to the Phillies was when Stan Musial went 7-for-7 in 1947. Stubbs gave up two more runs to finally put this game to rest, with the Royals winning 15-1.

The Phillies will travel to Cincinnati to begin a three-game series with the Reds on Wednesday night, with Zack Wheeler scheduled to take the mound at 7:10 p.m. 

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