PHILADELPHIA — Outside of the performance of a promising second-year player, it was another lost road trip for the Cubs.

A 2-1 loss to the Phillies on Sunday finished off a 2-7 road trip for the club as they now fall a season-high six games under .500 (20-26). For the month of May, the Cubs are sporting a 6-13 record as they fall five games behind the Brewers for first in the National League Central.

In a tough road trip, however, Christopher Morel has started his second season with a bang – literally.

In his first 11 games of the 2023 season, the outfielder has hit eight home runs in 46 at-bats. According to the Cubs, he’s the first in franchise history to pull off the feat, with those statistics going back to 1901.

Morel also has three doubles and 14 since he was called up from Triple-A on May 8. A surprise omission from the Opening Day roster for some, the outfielder had a strong 29 games with the Iowa Cubs, hitting .330 with nine doubles, 11 homers, and 31 RBI.

Signed as an international free agent in 2015, Morel made his Cubs debut in 2022, hitting a homer in his first at-bat against the Pirates on May 17 of that year. After a fast start, he slowed in the second half, finishing the season with a .235 average with 19 doubles, four triples, 16 homers, and 47 RBI.

After a bad road trip, that drops their away from to 11-15, the Cubs are home for a nine-game homestand starting against the Mets on Tuesday evening.