Padres 2 - 6 Diamondbacks
Final
  for this game

D'backs hope to keep playoff chances alive vs. Padres

Sep 19, 2012 - 2:52 PM (Sports Network) - It's not too late for the Arizona Diamondbacks to crash the wild card party, as they target a third straight win and a series triumph over the San Diego Padres Wednesday in the middle portion of a three-game set.

The Diamondbacks earned a rare win over the Padres in last night's 3-2 decision from Chase Field and now sit 4 1/2 games off the last postseason spot in the National League. Ian Kennedy was on point through eight innings of work and allowed one run with six strikeouts and a pair of walks.

J.J. Putz gave up an unearned run in the ninth before grabbing his 30th save.

"It was a classic case of him getting better as the game went on," Padres manager Bud Black said of Kennedy.

Miguel Montero had two hits and two RBI, while Paul Goldschmidt drove in the other run for the Diamondbacks, winners in seven of their last 11 games.

On the injury front for Arizona, center fielder Chris Young aggravated a right quadriceps injury that had sidelined him since Sept. 3. Young left in the first inning and is day-to-day.

"I knew I had to go 100 percent, that's the only way you have to test it out," Young said on the club's official website. "You have to go full speed. I'm more disappointed than anything and frustrated."

Hoping to pitch Arizona to a series win will be Trevor Cahill. Cahill has won back-to-back starts and is coming off last Wednesday's 3-2 win over Los Angeles in which he fanned seven batters and allowed two runs in seven innings of work. Cahill evened his record at 11-11 in 29 starts with a 3.92 ERA.

Cahill, a right-hander, lost to San Diego on Aug. 26, when he lasted only 3 2/3 innings and gave up four runs and eight hits. In four career starts against the Padres, Cahill is 1-2 with a 2.55 ERA.

San Diego had won two straight and nine of 11 games before last night. Eric Stults pitched well in the loss and surrendered three runs and five hits in six innings.

"They had a different approach ... they were sitting more off-speed, especially early in the count," Stults said. "They were a little more aggressive.

Yonder Alonso had two hits and knocked in a run for the Padres, who are seven games off the pace for the final postseason berth in the NL with 14 games remaining in the regular season.

Padres center fielder Cameron Maybin did not play because of a sore left Achilles tendon and could miss Wednesday's game. Maybin left Sunday's win over Colorado with the problem. Will Venable got the start Tuesday and went 0-for-3 with an RBI and a strikeout.

Outfielder Carlos Quentin is still bothered by a sore right knee.

The Padres will send Edinson Volquez to the mound Wednesday and he has won three of his last four starts, including a 6-4 victory over St. Louis the previous time out last Tuesday. Volquez managed to hold on for the win even though he yielded three runs, two of which were earned, in 5 1/3 innings. The right-hander is 10-10 in 29 starts to go along with a 4.24 earned run average.

Volquez defeated Arizona on the road in a 5-4 triumph on Aug. 26, when he hurled seven innings of two-run ball. He is 1-0 in three starts against the Diamondbacks this season and 1-1 with a 3.86 ERA in six career starts.

San Diego is 10-6 against Arizona this season, going 6-1 at Chase Field. The Padres had won seven straight in the desert before Tuesday's loss.






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