PHILADELPHIA -- Despite another loss, Aaron Nola lked more like the Phillies current and future ace on Saturday.Nola lost his fourth straight game after giving up five runs on six hits in five innings in Philadelphias 6-2 loss to the Kansas City Royals.Nola (5- hadnt gotten past 3 2/3 innings his three previous losses, and the 23-year-old right-hander has a 13.50 ERA during his skid. There were signs of encouragement, though, as Nola finished by retiring 10 straight batters.The last three innings, he lked like his old self, Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. I was very encouraged. He wasnt trying to do t much and was relaxed.The Royals scored all five of their runs off Nola in the second inning.Kendrys Morales did the greatest damage, putting the Royals up 5-1 with a three-run home run to right field. Normally Kansas Citys designated hitter, Morales has played right field the last two games because manager Ned Yost wanted to keep his hot bat in the lineup.It was the third straight game with a homer for Morales, who extended his hitting streak to eight consecutive games by going deep in the second inning. He is batting .565 with seven homers and 21 RBI in his last 13 games.Hes carrying us a little bit right now, Yost said.The Royals tied the game at 1 on starter Danny Duffys first major league hit and RBI, a bunt single that was popped up into a perfect spot between the pitchers mound and shortstop. Duffy had been 0 for 10 with five strikeouts this season.Ill take it, Duffy said. It just worked.Whit Merrifields RBI single to right with two outs put Kansas City ahead 2-1 before Morales drive.Nola shut Kansas City down from that point, but Mackanin pinch-hit for him in the bottom of the fifth after the right-hander threw 95 pitches.I felt really gd today, even in the second inning when I hung a curveball, Nola said. I thought I had pretty gd stuff today.The Phillies tk a 1-0 lead in the first on Maikel Francos single that bounded off Duffys outstretched glove to score Peter Bourjos, who reached with a triple to extend his hitting streak to 11 straight games.Philadelphia lked poised to score again in the fourth, but Alcides Escobars stellar defense saved a run. Escobar sprinted deep in the hole at shortstop to field Cesar Hernandezs ground ball and threw to second for a force play on Carlos Ruiz for the final out.Hernandez and Franco had two hits and an RBI each for Philadelphia, which had its four-game winning streak snapped.No offense to speak about, Mackanin said.The Phillies were shut down by Duffy (4-1), who allowed two runs on seven hits with eight strikeouts and no walks while setting a career high for innings. The left-handers previous best was eight innings, which he tied in Mondays win over St. Louis.The 27-year-old Duffy recorded the first two outs of the ninth but was lifted for Joakim Soria after Hernandezs RBI single.He said that prior to Saturday hed never gotten an out in the ninth inning at any level of baseball. Duffy lobbied Yost after the eighth inning to stay in the contest.Its cl to finish a game, Duffy said. (Yost) gave me the opportunity and Im grateful for it.Merrifield and Cheslor Cuthbert added a pair of hits for the defending World Series champion Royals, who finally gained some ground on Cleveland in the AL Central after the Indians had their 14-game winning streak snapped in Toronto. Kansas City trails the Indians by six games.SLUMPING PHILLIEPhiladelphias Tommy Joseph went 0 for 3 with a strikeout, extending his slump to 0 for 17 with seven strikeouts.UP NEXTRoyals RHP Yordano Ventura (6-5, 5.00) opposes Philadelphia RHP Vince Velasquez (6-2, 3.3 on Sunday in the conclusion of the three-game series. Youth Capitals Jerseys . -- Bryant McKinnie came out of his stance and lowered his shoulder into a practice squad player, causing a crisp thud to reverberate in the Miami Dolphins practice bubble. Womens Capitals Jerseys . He was followed closely by David Clarkson, donning red, seconds later. Clarksons actions one night earlier, leaping off the bench in defence of Kessel during a pre-season game against the Buffalo Sabres, will cost him the first 10 games of the regular season. http://www.cheapcapitalschinajerseys.com/mike-gartner-jersey/ . -- Charline Labonte couldnt have asked for a better homecoming. Evgeny Kuznetsov Jersey . -- Bobby Ryan helped the U. Brett Connolly Jersey . Collaros, 25, was solid last season, posting a 5-2 record as the starter while incumbent Ricky Ray was injured. Collaros also started Torontos 23-20 regular-season finale loss to Montreal — Ray didnt dress because the Argos had already clinched first in the East Division — but was one of three quarterbacks to play that day. ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Eric Staal signed with the Minnesota Wild ready to prove his skills hadnt diminished despite slipping to 13 goals in 83 games last season.Through four games, Staals scoring touch resembles the player who scored at least 30 goals in four of five seasons earlier in his career.Staal scored twice and Minnesota recovered from another deficit to beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 on Thursday night.I never felt like I forgot how to play, Staal said. I knew I could play and Ive been in this league a long time. But I needed to come here and be ready in training camp, and be fit and hungry. Ive done that, and now its about continuing to build. Its only been four games.Zac Dalpe scored his first for the Wild, and Devan Dubnyk stopped 31 shots.Led by Staal and new coach Bruce Boudreau, Minnesota has been able to pull itself out of the early deficits.Staal has three goals in his first four games and his game-winner with 8 minutes left Thursday kept the Wild unbeaten in a three-game homestand despite allowing the first goal in each game.The only thing I say is, `Its one shot, Boudreau said. We dont think were going to get one chance this period to score a goal? Its not insurmountable. We are going to get a chance to score. So just hold them off. I told them, `All we have to do is win a period. Take it down to 20 minutes. You win the period. You win the game.Toronto let another third-period advantage slip away as No. 1 overall draft pick Auston Matthews continued his scorching rkie season with his fifth goal in four games. The Maple Leafs surrendered a four-goal lead in a 5-4 overtime loss a night earlier at Winnipeg.Kind of the same story as last night, but I think we were a little bit better, Matthews said. Were getting to the front of the net more and getting more chances. They were able to capitalize on the very few we gave them and it turned out we dont get a win here.ddddddddddddToronto defenseman Roman Polak opened the scoring nine minutes into the second period with a shot from the point that found its way past Dubnyks shoulder. Staal answered with his first goal 56 seconds later when Charlie Coyle tk a lse puck and spun around to find Staal streaking to the net for a breakaway.Matthews, the rkie who debuted with a four-goal game last week, added a power-play goal for the Leafs. Jhonas Enroth made 24 saves in his Maple Leafs debut.I think weve played pretty well to be honest with you, Toronto coach Mike Babcock said. I like the way we play. I like how quick we play. Id like us to win the games we should win, but I think weve done a lot of gd things. Were .500 after four and as we grow up here a little bit, we just got to hang in the hunt the best we possibly can because were going to get better fast.The Wild entered the game one of three teams yet to allow a power-play goal this season. The penalty kill reached a perfect 12 for 12 before Matthews tally. Minnesota was 27th in the NHL last season in penalty kill at 77.9 percent a year after leading the league at 86.3 percent.Game notes Polak replaced D Martin Marincin, who missed the game with a lower-body injury. ... Wild D Marco Scandella was scratched before the game with an illness. Matt Dumba tk his spot in the lineup after he was a minus-2 in the first three games. ... Minnesota was 5-25-6 last season when giving up the first goal. ... Coyle has a point in every game this season. ... Kadri reached 200 career points with his assist.UP NEXTMaple Leafs: Finish their road trip on Saturday at Chicago.Wild: Begin a four-game road trip on Saturday at New Jersey. ' ' '