Philadelphia ? The Kansas City Royals don’t play like a last-place team against the NL East.

Matt Stairs homered twice, and Benito Santiago hit a three-run shot, leading the Royals over the Philadelphia Phillies, 10-4, on Friday night.

Chris George (1-0) allowed four runs and nine hits in 62/3 innings, helping the Royals win their third straight game — each by the same score. They beat Atlanta the previous two games.

Kansas City, which has the AL’s worst record, has won five of seven and is 18-18 since an 8-20 start. The Royals are 6-4 in interleague games against the NL East.

“We have been swinging the bats well, and it’s nice to see it carry over,” Royals manager Tony Pena said.

The victory was costly because Santiago broke his left hand and will miss six to eight weeks.

“It’s a huge loss for us,” Stairs said.

“He’s the backbone of the team. He controls the game back there.”

It was the Royals’ first game in Philadelphia since the Phillies beat them in Game 6 of the 1980 World Series at Veterans Stadium to clinch the only championship in franchise history.

Santiago’s three-run homer off former Royal Paul Abbott (0-1) gave Kansas City a 4-0 lead in the first. Santiago left in the sixth after a pitch by Geoff Geary hit the back of his left hand.

Kansas City catcher Benito Santiago slugs a three-run home run in a four-run first inning against Philadelphia. The Royals beat the Phillies, 10-4, Friday in Philadelphia, notching their third straight 10-4 victory. Santiago was hit by a pitch later in the game and broke his hand. He will be out six to eight weeks.

“It cracked pretty good,” Santiago said. “It’s a hard thing to go through right now, but there’s nothing I can do.”

Santiago, 39, signed a $4.3 million, two-year contract in December after playing three seasons with San Francisco.

Royals backup catcher Kelly Stinnett also was hit in the left hand by a pitch from Elizardo Ramirez in the ninth, but stayed in.

The Phillies have lost two in a row, falling to 16-16 in their new stadium.

“When you fall behind early like that, it’s tough to catch up,” said Phillies manager Larry Bowa, a shortstop on the 1980 championship team.

George retired 15 straight before allowing four consecutive two-out singles in the seventh. He left after Placido Polanco’s RBI single cut it to 9-4.

Jaime Cerda came in and walked Bobby Abreu to load the bases, but retired Jim Thome on a hard grounder to first to end the inning.

“I just wanted to get a good pitch to hit and hit it good,” Thome said, frustrated by the shift defenses play against him.

6Sports video: Royals take down Phillies

Abbott gave up four runs and five hits in four innings in his second start with the Phillies. Signed last week after being released by the Devil Rays, Abbott pitched five shutout innings in a 2-1 victory over Minnesota last Sunday.

“The bullpen is beat up, so you’ve got to go longer than that,” Abbott said.

Stairs’ first homer gave the Royals a 5-2 lead in the sixth. His two-run shot in the seventh made it 9-2.

Kansas City's Matt Stairs, left, is congratulated by teammate Kelly Stinnett after Stairs hit a two-run home run. Stairs homered twice in the Royals' 10-4 win Friday in Philadelphia.

“The ball carries well here. It’s a good hitters’ park and has a good batter’s eye,” Stairs said.

Angel Berroa had two doubles and a triple, and Joe Randa and Ken Harvey each had two hits for Kansas City, which has 30 runs and 48 hits in its last three games.

Abbott left after walking George and Tony Graffanino to start the fifth. Geary came in and allowed a bunt single to Carlos Beltran to load the bases. But Randa popped out to third base and Harvey grounded into a double play.

Geary, however, gave up six hits and five runs in the next two innings.

Notes: The Royals are 10-21 on the road, but 5-2 in their last seven games away from home. … The Phillies are 9-2 on Fridays. … A crowd of 43,571 gave the Phillies 15 sellouts this season. … Philadelphia is 4-5 in interleague games.