Jason Kubel was ready to get back into the lineup. He missed four games with a hamstring injury and came back in a big way, homering twice to drive in three runs. Ian Kennedy had a shaky first couple of innings, but then settled down to pitch eight innings, and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday 7-1.
In the first inning, after Aaron Hill singled, Kubel hit a 1-0 fastball into the seats to give Arizona a 2-0 early lead. Cincinnati had a pair of hits in the bottom of the inning, but was unable to drive anyone in. In the bottom of the second, they got their run.
Kennedy allowed three hits in that inning, including a two-out single by Drew Stubbs, who drove in Ryan Hanigan.
After that, Kennedy only allowed another three hits the rest of the way.
Kubel made it 3-1 in the fourth inning with his second homer of the night, his 17th of the year. The D-backs then tacked on two more runs in the fifth with an RBI double by Aaron Hill and a bases loaded walk of Miguel Montero.
They got another pair of runs in the eighth when Justin Upton and Paul Goldschmidt hit back-to-back doubles, and then, after a single by Gerardo Parra, Goldschmidt scored on a passed ball.
Kennedy threw 105 pitches, striking out seven and walking nobody. He pitched with a swagger that has not been seen much this season.
Only Miguel Montero and Stephen Drew did not have a hit for Arizona.
Kennedy picked the win, moving to 7-8 on the year. Matt Latos, who pitched four and two-thirds innings and allowed five runs, fell to 7-3.
The two teams will play the final game of the series on Thursday morning at 9:35 Arizona time.
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