Dodgers 3 - 2 Padres
Final
  for this game

Kennedy, Greinke square off at Petco

Apr 1, 2014 - 2:33 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - Ian Kennedy tries to get the San Diego Padres off to a 2-0 start on Tuesday when they resume their three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Petco Park.

Kennedy was acquired by the Padres at the trade deadline last season and went 4-2 with a 4.24 ERA in 10 starts after the trade. Overall, though, he was just 7-10 with a 4.91 ERA in 31 combined starts with Arizona and San Diego.

Still, Padres manager Bud Black is hoping that Kennedy can revert back to the pitcher who won 21 games for the Diamondbacks back in 2011.

"Where he's at in his career, we're hoping that a good offseason working with Darren (Balsley) last year, a couple of minor tweaks in the delivery will help him," Black said.

Los Angeles, meanwhile, will turn to righty Zack Greinke, who will be making his first start of the season after skipping the team's two-game series against Arizona in Australia.

Greinke, who was slowed at the start of spring by a strained calf, was terrific a year ago for the Dodgers, as he won 12 of his last 14 decisions and finished the year 15-4 with a 2.63 ERA.

"Zack felt good about his last outing," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. "He's a perfectionist, and he's never quite happy. I look for him to pitch well (Tuesday)."

Greinke has also dominated the Padres over the course of his career, posting a 3-0 mark to go along with a 1.74 ERA in five starts against them.

Of course, the last time these two starters squared off a wild brawl ensued, as Kennedy, then pitching for Arizona, pegged Yasiel Puig in the face then later hit Greinke, who had previously plunked Miguel Montero.

In all, six players wound up getting ejected for the fracas and Kennedy was hit with a 10-game suspension.

There were no such fireworks in Sunday's opener, but San Diego did provide some late-inning heroics, as Seth Smith smacked a game-tying, pinch-hit solo homer and Chris Denorfia hit a go-ahead two-run single as part of a three-run bottom of the eighth inning to lift the Padres to a 3-1 win.

The Dodgers led 1-0 behind seven shutout innings from Ryu before Smith, who was acquired in an offseason trade with the Oakland Athletics for reliever Luke Gregerson, cracked a shot into the seats down the right-field line off Brian Wilson (0-1).

"You get in the box and it's an at-bat," Smith said. "As a professional ballplayer you hope that you can kind of flush the fact that it's your first at-bat with your team or it's in a big spot or whatever, and just do what you've been practicing."

Yasmani Grandal then walked and Wilson committed an error on Everth Cabrera's ensuing bunt attempt. Grandal stole third and Cabrera advanced to scoring position on a fielder's indifference. Denorfia poked a single to center to bring them home.

Dale Thayer (1-0) tossed a scoreless eighth for the win and Huston Street pitched the ninth to earn the save.

The Dodgers won 11 of the 19 matchups between these teams last season.






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