Padres 2, Pirates 1
SAN DIEGO -- Yonder Alonso drove in a pair of runs and the San Diego Padres hung on for a 2-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates before an announced crowd of 19,126 at Petco Park on Wednesday.
The Padres (57-70) avoided a sweep by the Pirates (74-52), who were going for their first in San Diego since 2003. San Diego also ended a two-game skid.
Pittsburgh's lead in the National League Central over the St. Louis Cardinals, who defeated Milwaukee earlier in the day, dropped to one game.
Andrew McCutchen, who went 2-for-2 with an RBI, hit a sacrifice fly to score newly acquired Felix Pie to cut San Diego's lead to 2-1 with two outs in the eighth. But Pittsburgh failed to score again.
Ian Kennedy threw seven shutout innings, allowing four hits and three walks while striking out eight. He made 108 pitches, 70 of them strikes. Kennedy (5-9) was coming off his worst outing since being obtained by the Padres from the Arizona Diamondbacks on July 31. The Mets knocked him around for five runs (four earned) while handing him a 5-2 defeat Friday.
It was the first time in 25 starts this year that Kennedy held an opponent scoreless.
Closer Huston Street retired the side in order in the ninth for his 24th save.
Gerrit Cole allowed two runs on 10 hits with five strikeouts and no walks. Cole (6-6) threw 94 pitches (65 strikes).
The Padres, who managed just four runs during the three-game series, out hit the Pirates 11-4. Logan Forsythe went 3-for-3 for San Diego.
