Dairon Blanco ripped a two-run single to cap a four-run sixth inning on Friday, lifting the surging Kansas City Royals to a 7-5 victory over the host Philadelphia Phillies
Blanco finished with three RBIs and Bobby Witt Jr. launched a two-run shot in the third inning to become the first player in major league history to have 20 homers and 30 stolen bases in each of his first two seasons
Michael Massey homered to lead off the sixth inning and Freddy Fermin added an RBI double for the Royals, who have won seven in a row for the first time since emerging victorious in nine straight from July 19-28, 2017
Jordan Lyles (3-12) won his second straight start despite allowing five runs on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings
Philadelphia's Nick Castellanos belted a two-run homer in the first inning and Johan Rojas added a two-run double in the fourth. Trea Turner had an RBI single in the sixth inning to snap a 0-for-17 drought for the Phillies
After Rojas' two-run double staked Philadelphia to a 4-2 lead, Massey halved Kansas City's deficit after sending a first-pitch changeup from Aaron Nola (9-8) into the second deck in right-center field
Edward Olivares had a one-out double in the sixth inning and MJ Melendez walked to force Nola from the game. Yunior Marte allowed an RBI double by Fermin and a two-run single by Blanco to give the Royals a 6-4 lead
That closed the book on Nola, who took the loss after allowing five runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings
Turner's sharp single to right field halved the deficit and sent Lyles from the game. Pinch runner Samad Taylor regained the two-run advantage in the eighth after scoring on a sacrifice from Blanco
Three relievers bridged the gap to Austin Cox, who retired the side in the ninth inning for his first career save
Castellanos deposited a 0-1 sweeper from Lyles over the wall in left field for his 16th homer of the season
Kansas City countered in the third inning, as Witt sent a first-pitch cutter from Nola over the wall in left-center field. The homer was Witt's team-leading 20th of the season and fourth during his seven-game hitting streak
--Field Level Medi