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.