Parra's grand slam helps Arizona beat Braves

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Arkansas-SEMO Live Blog

PHOENIX - Gerardo Parra hit his first career grand slam to cap a five-run second inning and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Atlanta Braves 6-4 Sunday, snapping a five-game losing streak.

Atlanta had won five in a row.

Ian Kennedy (3-0) posted his seventh straight win dating to last August. The Diamondbacks helped him by scoring more than two runs for the first time in four games.

Kennedy allowed three runs and nine hits in seven innings. David Hernandez retired the side in the eighth and J.J. Putz recorded his fifth save despite allowing a one-out home run to Juan Francisco.

Randall Delgado (2-1) retired the first two Arizona batters in the second. Jason Kubel then singled, Cody Ransom doubled and John McDonald was intentionally walked to load the bases. Delgado walked Kennedy on four pitches before Parra hit a drive into the pool area beyond the right-center field fence for a 5-1 lead.

Delgado went 5 1-3 innings, giving up five runs and three hits. He struck out six, walked four and hit two batters.

Michael Bourn had three hits, walked once and scored twice for the Braves. Atlanta lost for only the second time since April 9.

Bourn sped the Braves to a 1-0 lead in the first when he led off the game with a double to deep center, took third on a groundout and scored on a sacrifice fly by Freddie Freeman.

Bourn also scored Atlanta's second run, singling in the third and coming around on Martin Prado's double down the left-field line.

Prado contributed with his glove, too, taking away an apparent home run from Miguel Montero in the third with a leaping catch just to the right of the 376-foot sign in left field.

Delgado recorded his first career hit with one out in the fifth, went to second on Bourn's single and later scored on a single by Freeman to pull Atlanta within 5-3.

Parra singled, stole second and scored on a double by Aaron Hill for a 6-3 Arizona lead in the seventh.

NOTES: Kennedy is 16-1 with three no decisions in his past 20 starts. ... Delgado has yet to pitch past the sixth inning in 10 career starts. ... Chipper Jones, playing his final game at Chase Field, pinch-hit in the seventh and grounded into a double play. Jones hit .328 with six homers and 35 RBIs in 52 career games in Phoenix and was honored after the third. .. Braves pitchers had retired 24 straight hitters before Kubel's second-inning single. ... The intentional walk to McDonald was the first of his 891-game career. . The Diamondbacks' series opener Monday against the Philadelphia Phillies originally was billed as a match of Daniel Hudson and Cliff Lee, at least before both went on the disabled list. RHP Kyle Kendrick will start for the Phillies against a starter yet to be named for Arizona. ... Atlanta RHP Jair Jurrjens will try to improve his 8.10 ERA in Los Angeles against LHP Chris Capuano and the Dodgers. Jurrjens has lasted only 13 1-3 innings total in his first three starts, allowing 12 runs on 21 hits and nine walks.