Kennedy fans 11 as Padres edge Brewers
SAN DIEGO -- Ian Kennedy struck out 11 batters in six innings for his first victory in more than a month and Yangervis Solarte hit a two-run home run as the Padres finished their home slate with a 3-1 win over the Brewers on Thursday at Petco Park.
Kennedy, a 30-year-old free-agent-to-be, recorded his final six outs via strikeout, did not walk a batter and for six innings of five-hit ball, contained a Brewers offense that batted .314 and averaged six runs per game in the teams' first five matchups this season -- including Kennedy's loss at Miller Park on Aug. 7. He allowed a lone run on Shane Peterson's pinch-hit home run leading off the sixth inning, but the Padres' bullpen held the lead for Kennedy's first win since he beat the Cardinals on Aug. 22.
"[My] fastball was working well, I got away with some [pitches], the defense behind me made some good plays that picked me up," Kennedy said. "Fastball, changeup combo. I got some strikeouts on the changeup, fastballs up, fastballs down and away."
Brewers starter Taylor Jungmann continued a September slide in his final scheduled start. The rookie right-hander threw 84 pitches for nine outs, allowing three runs on four walks and four hits, including Solarte's homer. It was the fifth home run off Jungmann in his last five starts after he surrendered only three in his first 16 starts.
Video: MIL@SD: Kimbrel earns the save after a dominant 9th
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Slow-arte goes deep: Solarte, who has been hobbled lately by a right hamstring cramp, put a charge in a ball in the third inning. His two-run home run off Jungmann gave the Padres a 2-0 lead. For Solarte, who jogged slowly around the bases since the hamstring is still giving him fits, it was his career-best 14th homer.
"I think there's four or five guys that kind of did better than what was expected early, and Solarte's definitely one of them," said Padres interim manager Pat Murphy.
Video: MIL@SD: Padres takes a 2-0 lead on Solarte's homer
A good start: Rookie outfielder Michael Reed, one of 12 players to make his Major League debut this season for Milwaukee, made the most of his first Major League start on Thursday. After singling in the third to temporarily preserve his 1.000 batting average (Reed delivered a pinch-hit double in his Major League debut over the weekend in St. Louis), he made a sliding catch in right field to end the third after the Padres had taken the lead. More >
Video: MIL@SD: Reed dives to make grab on sinking liner
He has an arm, too? Padres rookie outfielder Travis Jankowski has built a nice reputation for himself in the Minor Leagues with his speed and ability to run down about anything in the outfield. On Thursday, he showcased his arm, throwing out Reed at the plate as he tried to score on Hernan Perez's single in the third inning. One inning later, he reached over the fence down the right-field line in foul territory to catch a Jason Rogers popup.
Video: MIL@SD: Jankowski leans into stands to haul in a ball
Youth movement: Reed wasn't the only Brewers rookie to play his way onto the highlight reel. Yadiel Rivera, part of the Brewers' deep stable of shortstops, made his second Major League start at that position and robbed Jedd Gyorko of a hit by going deep into the hole and making an on-target throw to first base for the second out of the first inning. The play helped Jungmann keep the Padres off the board until Solarte's homer two innings later.
"Right when he hit it I thought, 'If I can cut it, I've got a chance,'" Rivera said. "That's what I like to do. Save a run."
Video: MIL@SD: Rivera ranges, makes the off-balance throw
QUOTABLE
"We're decimated. We're limping, to say the least,"
-- Murphy, after Wil Myers left with a sore left wrist on Thursday (The team has also lost Matt Kemp (right finger injury) and Justin Upton (neck strain) in the last three days. The team is short on outfielders.)
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
With his 30th start of the season, Kennedy is the only National League pitcher to start 30 or more games in each of the last six seasons.
Video: MIL@SD: Kennedy strikes out 11 Brewers, earns win
UPON REVIEW
The Brewers got the last out of the fifth inning via instant replay, after manager Craig Counsell challenged that Melvin Upton Jr. was safe on a steal of second base. A second look revealed that Brewers second baseman Scooter Gennett fielded a throw to the first-base side of the bag and applied a tag while Upton was sliding past. The original call was overturned, and the game moved to the sixth inning.
Video: MIL@SD: Maldonado throws out Upton Jr. at second
MYERS LEAVES EARLY
Padres left fielder Wil Myers left the game in the fourth inning with what the team called left wrist soreness. This is the second time this has happened recently to Myers, who had surgery on the wrist in June to remove a bone spur. Myers missed 98 games earlier this season with the wrist injury and subsequent surgery and recovery.
"What I'm feeling is completely different than when I had surgery," said Myers, who said that he hopes to play in the final three games of the regular season. "This is more of overuse of a tendon. Before it was sharp pain; now it's just tight."
WHAT'S NEXT
Brewers: There will be meaningful games at Miller Park to finish the regular season, after all, as the Cubs come to town bidding to catch the Pirates in the race to host the National League Wild Card Game presented by Budweiser. The Cubs are two games back entering their series against the Brewers and have ace Jake Arietta starting Friday's opener against Milwaukee rookie Ariel Pena, with first pitch set for 7:10 p.m. CT.
Padres: The Padres head to Los Angeles for the start of a three-game set -- the final regular-season series -- at 7:10 PT on Friday against the Dodgers. Casey Kelly (0-1, 9.00 ERA) gets his second start of the season. He allowed six runs in the first two innings of his last start against the D-backs but retired the final 11 batters he faced.
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