KENNEDY STYMIES D-BACKS

Smith, Grandal Go Back-to-Back for Pads

PHOENIX, Aug. 24 (AP) – Ian Kennedy fired a complete game two-hit shutout, leading the San Diego Padres past the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-0 at Chase Field.  Shortly after the contest, Kennedy was named as the National League Pitcher of the Week for the period of August 18-24. 

Seth Smith and Yasmani Grandal hit back-to-back home runs for the Padres off Arizona starter Chase Anderson, giving San Diego a lead it would never relinquish.  It was only the second time this season that the Padres, who have hit fewer home runs this year than any other team in the major leagues, have gone back-to-back.  Chase Headley and Tommy Medica turned the trick in a victory over the Chicago White Sox on May 30.

But Kennedy was the story of this game.  After allowing a one-out single to Miguel Montero in the second inning and a two-out base hit to Ender Inciarte in the third, Kennedy took firm control, retiring the next 18 Diamondbacks hitters he faced.  The string was finally broken when Aaron Hill drew a two-out walk—the only free pass of the game issued by Kennedy—in the bottom of the ninth inning.  The Padres right-hander then fanned David Peralta to end the contest.  Kennedy struck out nine in all, including every member of the Arizona starting lineup other than Inciarte and Anderson, the latter of whom only came to the plate once.

The Padres banged out 12 hits in the game, but continuously failed to take full advantage of their numerous opportunities.  Diamondbacks hurlers also walked four batters.  But the Padres struck out 15 times all told and stranded 13 men.  Other than the two solo homers in the opening frame, the only tally they managed was in the fourth when Smith singled home Kennedy, who had singled himself three batters earlier.

The Diamondbacks have struggled mightily since losing starting first baseman Paul Goldschmidt three and a half weeks ago, posting a 5-16 record, the worst mark in the National League, in that time frame.

Kennedy has won his last three starts and has seen his ERA drop to a season-low of 3.56.  He has earned a quality start in eight of his last 10 appearances and reached the .500 mark for the first time this year.

8/24/2014, SD14-Ari14, Chase Field

                       1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9     R  H  E   LOB DP

2014 Padres            2  0  0  1  0  0  0  0  0     3 12  0    13  0

2014 Diamondbacks      0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0  0     0  2  1     3  0

Padres               AB  R  H BI   AVG    Diamondbacks         AB  R  H BI   AVG

Solarte           2b  5  0  0  0  .284    Inciarte          cf  4  0  1  0  .288

 Gyorko           2b  0  0  0  0  .208    Hill,A            2b  3  0  0  0  .228

Liriano,R         rf  4  0  2  0  .244    Peralta,D         rf  4  0  0  0  .250

Smith,S           lf  4  1  2  2  .255    Trumbo            1b  3  0  0  0  .263

 Venable          pr  0  0  0  0  .241    Montero,M         c   3  0  1  0  .269

Grandal           1b  3  1  2  1  .183    Marte,Al          lf  3  0  0  0  .169

 Medica           ph  1  0  0  0  .210    Lamb              3b  3  0  0  0  .184

Rivera            c   5  0  1  0  .264    Gregorius         ss  3  0  0  0  .267

Maybin            cf  5  0  2  0  .210    Anderson,C        p   1  0  0  0  .136

Nelson,C          3b  5  0  2  0  .228     Delgado          p   0  0  0  0  .000

Amarista          ss  4  0  0  0  .192     Paul             ph  1  0  0  0  .100

Kennedy           p   3  1  1  0  .267     Ziegler          p   0  0  0  0  .000

                     39  3 12  3           De La Rosa,E     p   0  0  0  0  .000

                                           Harris           p   0  0  0  0  .000

                                           Pacheco          ph  1  0  0  0  .185

                                                               29  0  2  0

Padres                           INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA

Kennedy          W 11-11         9.0  2  0  0  1  9 122  82  3.56

                                 9.0  2  0  0  1  9 122  82

Diamondbacks                     INN  H  R ER BB  K PCH STR   ERA

Anderson,C       L 5-8           3.1 10  3  3  2  5  81  47  5.02

Delgado                          2.2  2  0  0  0  4  40  25  4.70

Ziegler                          1.0  0  0  0  0  2  18  12  1.26

De La Rosa,E                     1.1  0  0  0  2  3  31  15  3.38

Harris                           0.2  0  0  0  0  1   9   6  9.00

                                 9.0 12  3  3  4 15 179 105

SD : Venable ran for Smith,S in the 9th

     Medica batted for Grandal in the 9th

     Gyorko inserted at 2b in the 9th

     Venable moved to lf in the 9th

     Medica moved to 1b in the 9th

Ari: Paul batted for Delgado in the 6th

     Pacheco batted for Harris in the 9th

E-Lamb. 2B-Grandal(13). HR-Smith,S(6), Grandal(4). RBI-Smith,S 2(44),

Grandal(28). SB-Kennedy(1). CS-Nelson,C. K-Solarte 2, Liriano,R 2, Grandal,

Rivera 2, Maybin 2, Nelson,C 2, Amarista 2, Kennedy 2, Hill,A 2, Peralta,D,

Trumbo, Montero,M, Marte,Al 2, Lamb, Gregorius. BB-Liriano,R, Smith,S,

Grandal, Kennedy, Hill,A.

GWRBI: Smith,S

Temperature: 89, Sky: partly cloudy, Wind: right to left at 6 MPH.

Attendance: 27,120

Game Time: 3:10