Grit Index: Kennedy gets win versus no-show Diamondbacks offense

Ian Kennedy, who went 3-8 for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2013 before being traded in July, again helped his former team inch closer to the .500 mark Wednesday, when he took the mound in a San Diego Padres uniform and held the opposition to two runs over seven innings pitched.

The outing at Petco Park was, however, Kennedy’s second time facing his former team, as he also faced them four weeks ago at Chase Field, taking the loss.

The Padres bats, meanwhile, exploded for 12 runs off of Randall Delgado and the Diamondbacks bullpen.

Delgado would ultimately be responsible for just half of the 12 runs scored, though he took his seventh loss of the year in the game, lasting 5.0 innings while giving up seven hits.

Out of the bullpen, left-hander Eury De La Rosa was responsible for the bear’s share of runs scored against the relief staff, surrendering a three-run home run to pinch-hitter Chris Robinson — the first of his career. The Padres added another against De La Rosa following the home run.

Delgado batted in one of the two Diamondbacks’ runs, plating Gerardo Parra — who doubled earlier in the inning — on a line drive up the middle in the third inning. The other came on a Kennedy balk, scoring Paul Goldschmidt.

For the Padres, Chase Headley had three RBI on a 3-for-5 night, while Jedd Gyorko and Tommy Medica, along with Robinson, homered.

The Good:

Little was good in the Padres’ blowout of the Diamondbacks, but Heath Bell’s two-strikeout relief appearance in the 8th to top the bleeding counted for the silver lining, given the right-hander’s recent struggles.

The Bad:

The Diamondbacks tallied just six hits against their former teammate and no one in the lineup had multiple hits Wednesday. Adam Eaton, who led off for the Diamondbacks once again, failed to reach base, plunging his batting average over his last 20 games to .222 and his on-base percentage down to .268 in that span. The speedy outfielder who was projected to be the Diamondbacks’ table-setter at the season’s outset is 2-for-3 in stolen base attempts during the stretch.

Up Next:

In their final home game of the season, right-hander Trevor Cahill (8-10, 4.02 ERA) will take the mound for the Diamondbacks, facing left-hander Robbie Erlin (3-3; 4.34 ERA) of the Padres. It will be the final start of the season for both pitchers. First pitch is scheduled for 3:40 p.m. MDT and can be heard on Arizona Sports 620 AM.