Kennedy helps D-Backs defeat Dodgers, clinch series victory
The Arizona Diamondbacks won their first series victory against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Dodger Stadium since 2007 thanks to Ian Kennedy. The Diamondbacks won 4-1 over the Dodgers in the finale of the three game regular season series.
The game that was played at the Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles was attended by almost forty-one thousand fans that filled up seventy-two percent of the venue. Manny Gonzalez was the umpire at the home plate with Marvin Hudson, Ted Barrett and Brian Runge
umpiring at the first base, the second base and the third base, respectively.
Ian Kennedy who has a 1.50 ERA in his last six starts successfully struck out eight players and let only one walk. Previously he had defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 4-0 for his first Major League shutout and just a while back came off with three consecutive
straight decisions.
"Today was pretty much a battle, trying to throw strikes", Kennedy said. "My command wasn't as good as it had been and my curve ball wasn't as sharp as it had been. So I had to rely on my defense, and our offense carried me early on. Our bullpen's been very
good this year, everybody that you saw this whole series, it just makes you feel better as a starter -- that when you come out, that you have a good bullpen behind you and you can rely on those guys. It helps you feel a lot more secure".
David Hernandez and Esmerling Vasquez also pitched one scoreless inning each. J J Putz secured his ninth consecutive save as he got three outs.
Ted Lilly threw six innings to mark his fourth straight consecutive outing on Sunday (May 15, 2011) and did not let a single run pass him by in five of those innings. However, in the second inning, he allowed four runs out of which two were back-to-back
home runs pass him by easily giving Arizona a chance to win the series finale.
The first run of the game came in the second inning, as Xavier Nady belted out a home run that covered a distance of four hundred and eight feet. Another home run by Ryan Roberts came soon afterwards that covered a distance of three hundred and seventy-eight
feet.
The last run of the second inning and by the Diamondbacks came as Chris Young hit a sacrifice fly to the left side of the field, off which Miguel Montero scored.
The only run the Dodgers managed to get through from Kennedy came in the third inning, as Aaron Miles singled to the right centre of the field and Jamey Carroll scored off it.
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