The Phillies offense has come alive as of late, outscoring the Cardinals 16-1 over the final two games of their series. Cesar Hernandez has been at the heart of the offensive uptick, collecting five hits in his last three games to raise his average up to .305.
Jake Arrieta will start tonight's series opener, aiming to improve on a 5.29 ERA over his last three starts. He tossed six innings while surrendering three runs in a loss his last time out.
As for the Royals, they enter tonight's contest in the midst of a tailspin. They lost 9-0 to Houston on Wednesday and sit 12 games below .500. Homer Bailey will be on the bump in the opener, coming off a solid performance last weekend against Detroit when he tossed six innings and gave up seven hits and two runs.
This weekend set in Kansas City could set the tone for the Phillies as the club returns home on Monday to open a four-game set with the hot Milwaukee Brewers.
Phillies Probables
Friday: Jake Arrieta (4-2, 3.40) vs. Homer Bailey (3-3, 5.25)
Saturday: Zach Eflin (4-3, 3.00) vs. Brad Keller (2-3, 3.99)
Sunday: Vince Velasquez (1-2, 3.86) vs. Jakob Junis (3-3, 5.52)
On the Farm Last Night
Lehigh Valley (AAA): 5-1 loss to Durham
Reading (AA): 7-3 loss to Hartford
Clearwater (A): 5-2 win over Dunedin
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