Big 2nd Inning Lifts Royals Over Phillies

Story Courtesy of Dick Kaegel, mlb.com KANSAS CITY -- Old habits are hard to break. Even after 27 years. The Royals, many of them not even born then, emulated their 1980 World Series club by defeating the Phillies, 8-4, Friday night at Kauffman Stadium. The Phillies, returning for the first time, lost two of three World Series games in Kansas City. Who won that Series? Oh, never mind. Royals starter Scott Elarton, a fly-ball pitcher, saw three long flies leave the yard. Ryan Howard belted a two-run homer into the right-field waterfall, 428 feet away, in the first inning. It was Howards 11th this season. Greg Dobbs cranked a solo shot into the right-field bullpen in the second inning for a 3-0 lead. However, the Royals chased Phillies starter Freddy Garcia during their six-run second. The five-hit assault included two homers, each good for two runs. Mark Grudzielanek banked a drive off the left-field foul pole, and Mike Sweeney lined one into the left-field bullpen. The homers were No. 3 for Grudzielanek and No. 7 for Sweeney. Maybe the Phillies should have seen the Sweeney blast coming. Hes a .440 (22-for-50) career hitter against Garcia with four homers and 14 RBIs. In the Phillies fifth, Rod Barajas hit a solo homer to left, his third, to cut the Royals lead to 6-4. That was Elartons last inning. The Royals picked up two runs in the seventh, the RBIs coming on Tony Penas double and Joey Gathrights single.