Three HRs in first lift Brewers past Padres
MILWAUKEE — Welcome to the big leagues, Brett Kennedy.
Jesus Aguilar, Travis Shaw and Eric Thames hit consecutive first-inning homers to spoil Kennedy’s San Diego debut and propel the Milwaukee Brewers to an 8-4 victory over the Padres on Wednesday night.
Kennedy, who was 10-0 in 16 starts at Triple-A El Paso before being called up Monday, was tagged for six runs on 11 hits in four innings.
“We were trying to be aggressive within the strike zone, kind of go after him right away,” Aguilar said through a translator. “He even surprised us because he was throwing a little harder than all the reports said. We knew he had a really good record down below in Triple-A, but it’s a little different up here. We were just trying to be aggressive with everything he threw in the zone.”
Orlando Arcia and Christian Yelich also homered for the Brewers, giving them a season-high five. Hunter Renfroe had a two-run shot for San Diego.
Jhoulys Chacin (11-4) allowed three runs on six hits in six innings to win for the fifth time in six decisions.
Kennedy (0-1) retired Yelich on a groundout to open the game, but the next seven hitters reached. Lorenzo Cain singled to right
MIL: 66-51 overall SDP: 45-71 overall
and advanced to third on Mike Moustakas’ oppositefield bloop single down the left-field line.
Aguilar then drove a 3-2 pitch the other way over the right-field wall for his teamleading 28th home run. Shaw followed with his 23rd homer and Thames added his 16th to put the Brewers up 5-0.
Kennedy, who had allowed just six homers in 89 1/3 innings in the Pacific Coast League, then allowed singles to Erik Kratz and Orlando Arcia before retiring the next two hitters.
“Not too many butterflies but I was amped up,” Kennedy said. “The ball was coming out pretty good. I didn’t locate some pitches. I threw a good pitch to Aguilar but he put a good swinging on it and hit a home run. I think I tried doing a little too much after that on those next two home runs. After that, I kind of settled down a little bit and started making some pitches.”
The Brewers made it 6-0 in the second on singles by Cain and Aguilar and Shaw’s sacrifice fly.
San Diego pushed across run in the fifth. Austin Hedges singled and Freddy Galvis walked. Chacin then snagged Franmil Reyes’ scorching liner and doubled Galvis off first. Hedges came around on Cory Spangenberg’s single under the glove of first baseman Aguilar.
Arcia answered in the bottom half with his third homer, a two-out solo shot to center. It was his first homer since April 19, spanning 55 games and 182 plate appearances for a careerlong homerless streak.
Renfroe’s two-run homer in the sixth, his 11th, cut the lead to 7-3, but Yelich countered with his 18th homer to open the bottom half.
Padres manager Andy Green said he was encouraged by the way Kennedy responded after the first inning.
“He was probably a little ampled up and a little less command than he’s had than he’s had over the course of the season,” Green said. “He’s been so pinpoint for most of the season. I actually thought the pitch to Aguilar was a tip-your-cap swings a guy just makes from time to time. Then missed over the middle to some good left-handed hitters. But we saw who he was over the last couple innings. We saw a guy settled in, dialed in, locating his fastball very well. He pitched effectively.”
PHOENIX — Patrick Corbin got into a rhythm with catcher Alex Avila, leaving Philadelphia’s hitters flailing.
The Arizona Diamondbacks have hit their stride at just the right time, leaving the desert with the NL West lead before heading out on a nine-game road trip.
Corbin struck out nine in a combined four-hitter, David Peralta had four hits and two RBIs, and the Diamondbacks rolled over the Philadelphia Phillies 6-0 on Wednesday.
Corbin (10-4) had the Phillies guessing most of the game, allowing four hits in 7 1/3 innings while reaching a career-high 183 strikeouts this season. The left-hander did not give up a home run for the ninth straight start, the longest stretch by a Diamondbacks pitcher since Brandon Webb in 2003.
“I felt really good with everything,” Corbin said. “I made some quality pitches early on, working really well with Alex.”
Peralta hit a two-run triple off Vince Velasquez (8-9) in the third inning, sending the Phillies right-hander to his first loss since June 25 against the New York Yankees.
Peralta had his fourth four-hit game of the home stand and tied the franchise record with 10 hits in the three-game series against the Phillies. He is 18 for 31 since taking two days off with shoulder tightness last week.
Eduardo Escobar added three RBIs for the NL Westleading Diamondbacks, who play three sub-.500 teams over the next nine games.
“It is moving month,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “August baseball, in my experience in baseball, is the best month because of what we’re walking through right now.”
Velasquez allowed two or fewer runs in his six starts heading into Wednesday’s game, with a 0.95 ERA in four July starts. The righthander allowed two hits in 6 1/3 scoreless innings to beat the Miami Marlins in his previous start.
The Diamondbacks eclipsed the two-run barrier against Velasquez in the third inning, going up 3-0 on Peralta’s two-run triple and Escobar’s sacrifice fly.
Arizona added a run in the fourth inning on Jon Jay’s double play. Velasquez did not come out for the fifth after allowing four runs and six hits.
“Just a terrible display of executing my secondary pitches today,” Velasquez said.
Pinch hitter Roman Quinn hit a one-out double off Corbin in the sixth inning, the only Phillies player to reach second base against the Arizona lefthander. Corbin faced two batters over the minimum.
“Very simply, we just weren’t able to get anything doing against Corbin,” Phillies manager Gabe Kapler said. “He did a great job of mixing his pitches. He was in the zone. He did a great job.”
ARIZONA’S STARTERS
Corbin isn’t the only Diamondbacks starter pitching well at the right time of the season.
Arizona’s starters posted a 1.27 ERA with 20 strikeouts and a .176 batting average against in the three games against the Phillies. The Diamondbacks’ staff has allowed three or fewer runs in six straight starts since Aug. 3, their longest such streak since June 2227, 2017.
HOME RUN ROBBERY
Phillies RF Nick Williams took a home run away from A.J. Pollock in the fifth inning, leaping against the wall and snaring the ball just before it went over.
NUMBERS
Peralta has six games of at least four hits, matching Giancarlo Stanton of the New York Yankees for most in the majors this season . ... The Phillies were shut out for the eighth time this season, seventh on the road. ... Escobar’s 42 doubles lead the majors . ... Philadelphia’s Cesar Hernandez has hit safely in all 14 of his starts against Arizona after going 2 for 3.
TRAINER’S TABLE
Diamondbacks: RF Steven Souza Jr. was sore after a crash into the wall Tuesday night and did not play. He is expected back Friday in Cincinnati.
UP NEXT
Diamondbacks RHP Clay Buchholz is 4-0 with a 2.17 ERA in five starts heading into Friday’s game at Cincinnati. Phillies RHP Zach Eflin will make his 2018 debut when he faces the San Diego Padres on Friday.