PHILADELPHIA _ Vince Velasquez threw five pitches Sunday afternoon before he was visited on the mound by Phillies manager Pete Mackanin and a member of the team's training staff. It seemed to be the same scene that unfolded on June 8 _ Velasquez' last start at Citizens Bank Park _ when the pitcher left with a sore biceps and headed to the disabled list.
None of those five pitches eclipsed 90 mph as Velasquez struggled to build velocity. The mound visit appeared to be a harbinger of bad news. It instead proved to be an empty scare and a 7-2 win over Kansas City was just getting started.
Velasquez remained in the game to strike out seven batters over six innings. It was his longest start since May 12. The right-hander built velocity as the afternoon went on and helped the Phillies take two of three games against the reigning world champions. Velasquez allowed two earned runs and threw 96 pitches.
He has a 1.64 ERA in his two starts since returning from the disabled list and has struck out seven batters in each of those starts. He may have re-found his form from earlier in the season.
The pitcher's lone mistake was a two-run homer in the fifth as Alex Gordon drilled Velasquez's change-up that hung over the plate. He kept his fastball _ which eventually reached 95 mph _ down in the zone. He matched it with a slider and curveball, both of which were effective thanks to the pitcher's ability to command the fastball.
The Phillies offense _ which scored just twice on Saturday _ made sure Velasquez's afternoon was not wasted. Cameron Rupp and Cody Asche hit towering home runs off Royals starter Yordano Ventura. Rupp hit a 369-foot three-run homer in the first and Asche blasted a 418-foot homer to right-center in the third.
Ventura would exit the game after Asche's home run. Ventura had sprained his ankle while running the bases in the top of the third inning.
Maikel Franco singled home a run in the fifth and homered to start the eighth. He is batting .417 with eight RBIs and a .778 slugging percentage in his last eight games. Peter Bourjos singled in the first inning to extend his hitting streak to 12 games, which tied his career best.
The runs were plenty for Velasquez, who has received at least three runs of support in nine of his 14 starts. He cruised in the sixth inning and retired two of the first three batters he faced. Pitching coach Bob McClure visited the mound after Velasquez forced a weak pop-up. He wanted to ensure the pitcher would end his afternoon on a positive. Velasquez did as he ended the inning by working a fly out. He walked to the dugout, where his teammates were waiting to greet him. His impressive afternoon was finished, and to think it almost ended after five pitches.
