Padres 6, Yankees 3
SAN DIEGO -- Ian Kennedy won his Padres debut as San Diego beat the New York Yankees 6-3 Sunday before a sellout crowd of 43,504 at Petco Park.
Kennedy allowed two runs on four hits in 5 2/3 innings in his first outing since the Padres acquired him Wednesday in a trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He finished with six strikeouts and four walks. Kennedy (4-8) also beat the Yankees, the team that drafted him in 2006, for the first time.
Closer Huston Street gave up a leadoff single to Eduardo Nunez and a walk to Austin Romine before striking out pinch hitter Vernon Wells in the ninth to earn his 21st save of the season.
The Padres (52-60) took two of three from the Yankees (57-53) in the weekend series.
New York starter Phil Hughes (4-10) was knocked out after 2 2/3 innings, having allowed five runs on six hits in 71 pitches (41 for strikes). Hughes, who has dropped eight of his past 10 decisions, walked three and struck out one.
Will Venable reached on a single to lead off the second inning, stole second and advanced to third on a single by Chris Denorfia before scoring on a sacrifice fly by Mark Kotsay for a 1-0 Padres lead.
Everth Cabrera delivered a two-run single to right with two outs in the inning to make it 3-0.
In the third, Denorfia's sac fly to center plated Alexi Amarista for a 4-0 advantage. Kotsay followed with an RBI single to center that scored Chase Headley and chased Hughes.
Curtis Granderson and Lyle Overbay produced RBI singles in the sixth to cut the Padres' lead to 6-2.
Romine hit his first major league home run, a solo shot to center off a 2-2 pitch from reliever Dale Thayer with one out in the seventh, to pull the Yankees to within three runs, but they got no closer.
Cabrera, who went 2-for-5 with a double and a run, probably played in his final game of the season. He is expected to be among the players receiving suspensions, possibly Monday, for his alleged involvement in the Biogenesis scandal.
NOTES: Yankees SS Derek Jeter didn't play for the second consecutive game as he tries to recover from injuries in his right leg that have plagued him for the past week. ... Padres LF Carlos Quentin didn't play for the fourth consecutive game as he deals with an ailing right knee. ... The Padres are off Monday before beginning a two-game series Tuesday with the Baltimore Orioles. The Yankees visit Chicago starting Monday for a three-game series with the White Sox.
