Strikeouts and Stranded Runners

Maybe they were looking ahead. After all, it was just the lowly Kansas City Royals. The Phils are in the Midwest for what should be an easy weekend against a really bad team. Instead, they lost 5-1.

Down 2-1 in the fifth inning, Jean Segura and Bryce Harper each singled. The Royals pulled starter Homer Bailey and replaced him with Scott Barlow, who promptly fanned Rhys Hoskins. JT Realmuto worked a walk to load the bases. But then Barlow struck out Odubel Herrera on a 1-2 fastball. Cesar Hernandez struck out swinging on three pitches to end the threat. And that was the last serious threat the Phils could muster. Barlow struck out six of the seven hitters he faced and has fanned 28 in 18.1 innings.

Jake Arrieta gave up three homers and took the loss. The Phils struck out 12 times last night and were 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position. They need to be a lot better against bad teams like the Royals.

The rest of the month of the May will be nothing short of hellish for the first-place Phils. The have seven against the Brewers (tied for first in the NL Central), three against the Rockies, four against the Cubs at Wrigley (tied with the Brewers), three against the Cardinals and a game in LA to start a West Coast trip against the Dodgers. Those teams are a combined 30 games over .500.

The Phils are still in first place with a three-game lead over the Braves. But that lead won't last for long if they keep striking out and leaving guys stranded in scoring position.