KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) 鈥� Philadelphia Phillies ace Cristopher S谩nchez summed up one of the worse outings of his career with one word: crap.
S谩nchez could have used much stronger language after giving up a career-worst nine earned runs in just 3 1/3 innings in Monday’s to the Kansas City Royals.
Asked after the game if he could pinpoint something that led to the bad outing, the 29-year-old left-hander was lost for a cause.
鈥淣othing really,” he said through an interpreter. “I mean, it鈥檚 just a game. As I learn from the good things that we have on the field, and the things when we perform well, the same thing when I don鈥檛 perform. I just try to learn from it.鈥�
Sanchez, whose previous worst outing for earned runs allowed was seven against the Cubs in April, gave up three of the Royals’ four home runs 鈥� all on his changeup, one of his signature pitches. Again, he had no answer as to why.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 really know,鈥� he said. 鈥淢aybe it wasn鈥檛 doing as it always does. You gotta get credit to them, because they got me today, They made me pay, and you just have to keep going.鈥�
S谩nchez was not helped by his defense. With the Phillies leading 1-0 in the bottom of the first, S谩nchez faced runners on first and third with one out. Jac Caglianone hit a grounder to second for a force at the base, but shortstop Trea Turner’s relay throw to first was wild, allowing Bobby Witt Jr. to score the tying run. The Royals went on to score five more runs in the first, and the rout was on.
鈥淵ou’ve got to make (that play),鈥� Turner said. 鈥淲ho knows how that game ends up. (If) he gets out of it clean, and then gets on a roll, who knows how it turns out. That was a game-changer.鈥�
Phillies manager Don Mattingly agreed that the first inning impacted the whole game. But, it wasn’t the only issue for the Phillies, who lost two of three to the AL Central’s last-place Royals.
鈥淚 know you can鈥檛 assume a double play, but with Trea, you would think it鈥檚 a double play,鈥� the manager said. “You gotta make that throw.
鈥淏ut after that, we didn鈥檛 really stop them either. And we had some chances. In the first couple innings, we get the bases loaded twice, (and) we don鈥檛 score. We end up leaving 15. (We had) 10 hits, seven walks and only get one run. We had chances to kind of creep back in it.鈥�
Mattingly is not concerned about Sanchez in the long term, even though he allowed five and four earned runs in his previous two road starts.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e always kind of looking at everything,鈥� Mattingly said. 鈥淗e doesn鈥檛 seem to be as sharp (on the road) as at home. I don鈥檛 know if that has necessarily anything to do with it. Obviously, you don鈥檛 have the same mound you鈥檙e used to, but everybody pitches on the road.鈥�
Sanchez has one more scheduled start 鈥� likely at Detroit 鈥� prior to the All Star break. He’s going to try to figure it out by then.
鈥淚 know that it鈥檚 something that鈥檚 happened on the road,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 really have an answer for that. Maybe not being so familiar with the stadiums, but it鈥檚 just something that we have to improve.鈥�
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