ARLINGTON, Texas – Ian Kennedy flew into Texas on a private plane Tuesday, two days after his wife gave birth to their second child, knowing he set the bar awfully high for himself in 2011, when he pitched his first career shutout the day after his first child was born.
"Everybody was joking with me, telling me I had to do it again," Kennedy said of his 4-0 win on April 24, 2011. "I was saying, 'Come on. I've only done it once in my life.' (Colby Lewis) pitched like I did last time."
Lewis retired the first 16 batters and finished with a four-hitter, leading the Rangers to a 9-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday night.
Lewis (5-5) struck out seven and walked one as Texas ended Arizona's five-game winning streak. Lewis did not permit a runner until Aaron Hill hit a one-out single to left field on an 0-2 pitch in the sixth inning.
Kennedy (5-6) gave up six runs and 10 hits in 5 2-3 innings, starting when Ian Kinsler hit a leadoff double in the Texas first and later scored on a wild pitch.
Eight of the Rangers' nine runs came with two outs, but it was the sixth inning when they broke it open with five runs. Michael Young doubled and David Murphy — starting in right field for an ill Nelson Cruz — hit a home run. Mitch Moreland and Craig Gentry added RBI doubles and Kinsler singled in a run.
"It happened so fast," Kennedy said. "I got out one of the best hitters (Josh Hamilton) in baseball, and then (Adrian) Beltre after him. After all, all of the hits happened on the second pitch, on the first pitch. I didn't make the quality pitches as I did earlier in the game."
Texas tacked on two more runs in the seventh. In the eighth, Elvis Andrus tripled and scored on Hamilton's single.
Arizona, playing in Arlington for the first time since 2006, did little against Lewis. Miguel Montero spoiled Lewis' shutout bid with a home run in the eighth. Arizona's Paul Goldschmidt went 0 for 3, ending his career-high 17-game hitting streak that was the longest active string in the NL. He had six home runs and nine doubles in that span.
"Lewis threw a great game," Arizona manager Kirk Gibson said. "We weren't on him. He had all his pitches working. He was spotting his fastball with a good slider. He threw a breaking ball and a changeup. He did a good job against us."
Lewis' start marked the most consecutive batters retired to start a game by a Rangers pitcher since Kenny Rogers pitched seven perfect innings on August 9, 2002, at Cleveland.
NOTES: David Murphy started in right field for an ill Nelson Cruz. Rangers manager Ron Washington said of Cruz: "He had a virus. He came in looking real bad. We gave him some medication and sent him home." ... The Rangers signed their first five picks, who were all among the top 93 choices, from the June draft. They were first-round selection Lewis Brinson; supplemental first-rounders Joey Gallo and Collin Wiles; and second-round picks Jamie Jarmon and Nick Williams. .Then-Detroit outfielder Gibson said he retired from baseball in the visiting manager's office at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington in 1995. He sat on the couch and told manager Sparky Anderson, "I can't do it anymore."
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.