Sonstiges » this is kind of a hostile environment

SAN DIEGO -- Ian Kennedy has the luxury of pitching in spacious Petco Park. One would think, anyway. "All my wins have been on the road," Kennedy said. "That is how it works sometimes." Kennedy earned his first home victory of the season on Sunday, pitching the San Diego Padres past the Chicago Cubs 4-3. Kennedy (3-6) allowed one run and two hits with six strikeouts. He walked two in earning his first win in five starts. Huston Street got his 14th save in as many chances despite giving up Starlin Castros two-run homer in the ninth inning. The Cubs, who had four hits, were trying to win their first series since Sept. 9-11 in Cincinnati. The Padres backed Kennedy with some rare run support. "He deserved that one," Padres manager Bud Black said. "Hes been a victim of not a lot of runs and if you look across the board at his numbers, all that stuff, hes been good. We just havent scored for him and Im glad we got it done in the bottom half of the sixth." It appeared Kennedy was headed for another tough-luck loss. He was trailing 1-0 when he left for a pinch-hitter in the sixth. The Padres scored four times in the inning, surprising Chicago starter Jason Hammel (5-3). "I felt in complete command," Hammel said. "I felt like I was going to go complete-game shutout. Everything was working." Chase Headley tied it with a sacrifice fly and the Padres went ahead 2-1 Carlos Quentins pinch-hit single off reliever James Russell. Two walks by Hammel helped extend the inning. For Quentin, it was his third pinch-hit RBI in two games after a two-run, homer in Saturdays loss. "We were going to stay away a little bit from Quentin," Cubs manager Rick Renteria said. "The ball just came back out over the plate." Jedd Gyorko added an RBI double and when centre fielder Emilio Bonifacio misplayed the ball for an error, pinch-runner Tyson Ross also scored for a 4-1 lead. Ross, a pitcher, ran for Quentin and scored a run for the first time in the majors. He slid home, although there was no throw to the plate. "I figured better safe than sorry," Ross said. A sixth-inning home run by Junior Lake gave the Cubs a brief lead, although it took a little while for him to celebrate. Lake hit an arching drive to left field and Seth Smith appeared as if he caught the ball before it reached the seats. A disappointed Lake nearly veered off the basepaths, but he resumed his trot third when umpire Greg Gibson gave the home run signal. Hammel retired 11 straight before Yonder Alonso lined a single in the fifth inning for the Padres first hit. Alonso stole second and advanced to third on Cameron Maybins one-out infield single. But Maybin was picked off first by Hammel and Rene Rivera struck out to end the threat. The Cubs didnt have much luck against Kennedy early. Castro got into scoring position in the second inning after a leadoff single and a walk, but Kennedy got the next three batters. Hammel pitched 5 2-3 innings, allowing three runs on three hits and two walks, with five strikeouts. But this day belonged to Kennedy, and that it came at Petco Park made all the better. "Its always great to see runs scored like that," Kennedy said, "whether youre pitching or not." NOTES: The Padres are encouraged with the progress RHP Andrew Cashner is making with his sore right elbow. Cashner will throw again on Monday after playing catch on Saturday. ... Padres LHP Robbie Erlin, on the DL with a sore throwing elbow, is scheduled to throw next weekend ... Quentin is expected to start on Monday against the Diamondbacks. Quentin had missed four games with a groin injury. ... Luis Valbuenas eight-game hitting streak for the Cubs, which tied a career high, was snapped. ... Cubs RHP Jeff Samardzija (0-4, 1.96) faces Giants RHP Yusmeiro Petit (3-1, 4.76) on Monday. It will be Samardzijas 200th career game. ... Ross (5-4, 2.64) goes against Arizona RHP Brandon McCarthy (1-6, 4.67) on Monday. Wholesale Twins Jerseys .Just like old times.Only this time, just one got to enjoy a victory.James return to Miami as an opponent was a success — for the Heat, that is. Wade scored 24 of his 31 points in the first half, Luol Deng had 25 points and dogged James defensively all night, and the Heat beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 101-91 in a hyped Christmas matchup Thursday. Cheap Minnesota Twins Jerseys . Will Venable and Ryan Ludwick drove in a run each for the Padres, who have taken six of their last seven contests and clinched their third straight series win after winning the first two in this set. Clayton Richard (4-9) allowed five hits and a pair of runs over seven innings, while fanning five. http://www.cheaptwinsjerseys.com/.C. -- The Edmonton Oilers used a late-power-play goal to get a hard-fought road victory. Cheap Tony Oliva Jersey .com) - Thursday marks the official debut of a new dirt racing surface at Meydan Racecourse. Cheap Justin Morneau Jersey . Jagr had a goal and two assists, Andy Greene scored 43 seconds into overtime and Marek Zidlicky had two goals as the Devils rallied past the Washington Capitals 5-4 Saturday night. OAKLAND, Calif. -- Stephen Curry erased a forgettable first half for the Golden State Warriors with a fourth quarter to remember. Curry made a pull-up jumper with 3 seconds remaining to cap a sensational finishing stretch, rallying the Warriors from 18 points down to beat the Dallas Mavericks 95-93 on Wednesday night. "Hes a great player and an all-time great shooter," Warriors coach Mark Jackson said. "Ive seen Steph Curry every single day take that shot hundreds and hundreds of times, thousands of times, so when the curtains open up you expect it to go in." Curry scored 16 of his 33 points in the final period. He finished with 10 assists, four rebounds and another big shot in a young career already full of them. With the clock winding down, Curry dribbled on the perimeter, came off a screen and faked a shot to send Shawn Marion jumping past him. Curry then hit the 19-footer to give Golden State, which trailed by 18 points late in the second quarter, the lead for good. "I kind of lulled him to sleep with the pump fake and thankfully it went in," said Curry, who couldnt recall making a game-winning shot since high school. "We blew everybody out at Davidson, so we didnt need game-winners," he joked about his college career. Harrison Barnes scored 17 points, David Lee added 15 points and 11 rebounds, and Andrew Bogut grabbed a season-high 18 rebounds to help the Warriors overcome 18 turnovers and a sloppy start. Monta Ellis and Dirk Nowitzki each scored 21 points, and Jose Calderon had 18 for the Mavericks, who had no timeouts left and were forced to heave a desperation shot at the buzzer. Dallas finished 2-2 on its road trip because it couldnt corral Curry when it mattered most. "When they made shots and the crowd got into it, this is kind of a hostile environment," said Ellis, a former Warriors fan favourite who was traded to Milwaukee for Bogut two seasons ago. Curry made consecutive 3-pointers to tie the game at 82 midway through the fourth quarter. Nowitzki scored the next four points before Currys pull-up jumper. Ellis answered with a pair of key scores late, including a layup through traffic that gave the Mavericks a 92-86 lead. Curry came back with a four-point play, getting fouled by Calderon ass he made a 3 and then hitting the free throw.dddddddddddd After another defensive stop, reserve Draymond Green made a 3-pointer with 49.9 seconds to play that put the Warriors up 93-92 -- their first lead since the opening quarter. Ellis made one of two free throws to tie the game. After Curry and Ellis each missed shots, Curry came off a screen and juked Marion to make the biggest play of the night. "I thought we played Curry decently," Nowitzki said. "Marion was on him. Probably been our best perimeter defender for a long time and thats a matchup we like. Curry just got him up in the air. Its a tough play. Stepped under him and made a tough shot." The Warriors played seven of their previous eight on the road, going 4-4 during that stretch. They opened a string of seven of the next nine at home, returning to Oracle Arena short-handed. Andre Iguodala missed his 10th straight game with what the team has called a strained left hamstring. And backup centre Jermaine ONeal sat out with a right wrist injury. Dallas started the game determined to end its road trip on a winning note. Calderon, Ellis and Nowitzki directed Dallas to big leads throughout the first half. Nowitzki capped the spurt by making a pair of high-arching 3s to put the Mavericks ahead 52-34 late in the second quarter. Curry pumped some life into the announced sellout crowd of 19,596 when he made a 3-pointer that twice bounced on the rim and the backboard before it dropped. The shot sliced Dallas lead to six, and the Mavericks closed the third quarter ahead just 72-66 despite controlling most of the game. "We have to stop. We cant continue to get behind like that and continue to try and come back and win," Green said. "But once again, our crowd helped us get back into the game." NOTES: ONeal is deciding whether to have surgery, which will likely end his season, or wait to see if his wrist heals enough for him to play. ... Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said G Devin Harris, who is recovering from a foot injury, had some swelling in his left big toe after practicing during the road trip. Harris had hoped to return in mid-December but likely wont play until after Christmas. ... WBA super middleweight champion Andre Ward was in attendance. ' ' '