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Phillies look to stay hot in rare meeting with Royals

Jun 8, 2007 - 3:07 PM Philadelphia (31-29) at Kansas City (22-39) 8:10 pm EDT

KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Ticker) -- If the Philadelphia Phillies want to continue their surge in the National League East Division, they're heading to a good venue.

The Phillies begin their second round of interleague play Friday with a rare visit to Kauffman Stadium - home of the Kansas City Royals.

The Phillies are coming off a three-game series sweep of the New York Mets, whose lead over Philadelphia in the NL East has shrunk to five games. Now the Phillies face the Royals, who have lost seven consecutive home games and own the worst home record in the league at 9-21.

Freddy Garcia (1-4, 5.11 ERA) gets the start for the Phillies, who have won five of six games. Garcia hasn't won since April 22, a span of eight starts. He's also been victimized by the home run recently, allowing seven long balls in his last four starts.

The Royals, who have dropped 11 of 14 games, counter with Scott Elarton (1-2, 7.36). The 6-7 righthander has lost his last two starts, allowing 11 runs over 10 2/3 innings.

The Royals lost to the Cleveland Indians on Thursday but got a productive game out of Alex Gordon, who went 4-for-4 and was a homer short of the cycle.

Kansas City beat the Phillies in six games to win the 1980 World Series, but the teams have only played one three-game series since then. The Phillies, who are 2-1 against the Royals since interleague play began in 1997, haven't played here since that World Series.