Ian Kennedy Reaches 20 Wins
September 20, 2011 | Baseball
Sept. 20, 2011
LOS ANGELES--Former USC pitcher Ian Kennedy allowed only one hit in 8 innings in a 5-2 win Monday over the Pittsburgh Pirates Monday to become the fifth Trojan to win 20 games in a season at the major league level. He became the fourth pitcher in Arizona Diamondbacks history to accomplish the feat and the first since Brandon Webb in 2008.
Kennedy, a first round pick of the New York Yankees in the 2006 MLB draft, joins the elite group of former Trojan pitchers Tom Seaver, Steve Busby, Randy Johnson and Barry Zito, who were also able to reach the 20-win mark.
With a record of 20-4, Arizona's ace has become a legitimate Cy Young Award contender by allowing one run or less 16 times on his way to a 2.88 ERA. The right-hander had gone 11-1 with a 2.42 ERA in his previous 13 starts and had a 1.69 ERA while winning his previous six outings at Chase Field.
In his three seasons as a Trojan starter, Kennedy went 24-12 with a 3.09 ERA. In 311 1/3 innings, he allowed 271 hits, 107 earned runs, and 105 walks. His 380 strikeouts place third on USC's all-time list and his strikeouts per nine innings (10.99) trail only Mark Prior (11.52).
