Royals rock Phillies, 13-4, in home opener
The ball skipped underneath Domonic Brown's outstretched glove, rolled to the wall, and a collective groan christened Citizens Bank Park. Four Kansas City Royals scampered around the bases. When they stopped, gobs of Phillies fans departed before the seventh-inning stretch.
Baseball returned Friday to South Philadelphia, and the scene was so reminiscent of last season's mediocrity. The result: A 13-4 loss to Kansas City, one marred by a withering offense and feeble bullpen.
The Royals scored 11 runs after the fifth inning. They battered a Phillies bullpen that was advertised in spring training as improved. The same disturbing trends from 2012 persisted.
Phillies relievers inherited six runners, and all six scored. Charlie Manuel intentionally loaded the bases in the sixth inning by walking pinch-hitter Billy Butler (Kansas City's lone All Star in 2012) for the lefty-lefty matchup between Alex Gordon and Jeremy Horst. Gordon rocked an 88 m.p.h. Horst fastball to the gap in right-center for a three-run triple. That initiated the first boos of 2013.
Horst stayed for the seventh. He walked the leadoff batter and allowed two grounders that found holes. It created another bases-loaded jam for new pitcher Chad Durbin. The veteran righty permitted a sacrifice fly, a walk and yet another three-run triple (this one by light-hitting second baseman Chris Getz).
It was a triple because Brown made a diving stab at the ball. At the very least, it was a single and another run scored. Brown emerged empty-handed, and it was a back-breaking moment.
For Durbin, it represented another lackluster performance. He stumbled through spring training and his debut outing on opening day in Atlanta. Durbin is reprising his reputation as a slow starter.
This day began with promise. Ten pitches into the game, the Phillies had three hits and a lead. They belted two home runs - hit by Brown and Erik Kratz - off Royals starter Wade Davis. A flurry of offense in the first three innings yielded to silence in the subsequent six frames. Kansas City's underrated relief corps - Bruce Chen, J.C. Gutierrez, Tim Collins and Luke Hochevar - tossed five scoreless innings and struck out six.
Meanwhile, the soft underbelly of the Phillies' bullpen is just that. Horst was a serviceable piece in 2012 but did not complete his job Friday. Durbin was signed for $1.1 million to add stability in the middle innings. All Raul Valdes did in spring training was throw strikes. He contributed his second forgettable outing of the young season, raising his ERA to 14.73 in the process.
Kyle Kendrick was the third Phillies starter in four games who failed to pitch six innings. The Royals barely threatened in the first four innings but worked deep counts against Kendrick. They dinged him for two runs in the second before ripping the game open. It was the first time in 238 games Kansas City scored at least 13 runs.
In the ninth, with their team trailing by nine runs, the scattered remaining Phillies fans waved their white towels. Once Kratz flied to right for the 27th out, sarcasm ceded to disappointment.
Contact Matt Gelb at mgelb@phillynews.com. Follow on Twitter @magelb.
