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Spangenberg hits 2 homers, Padres beat Nationals 8-3

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SAN DIEGO (AP) Once the San Diego Padres got to bat, Cory Spangenberg got to show what he can do.

Spangenberg had his first two-homer game and Derek Norris homered, tripled and drove in five runs to lead the San Diego Padres to an 8-3 victory Thursday night against the Washington Nationals in a game delayed for nearly two hours by rain.

Spangenberg homered to right-center with two outs in the second off Doug Fister and to left off Blake Treinen leading off the fourth. They were his first two of the season.

''He's got some strength to his swing and bat speed and today it showed up,'' manager Bud Black said. ''He's doing his thing and that's something we saw in spring training. That's good for Cory and good for us.''

Spangenberg said it was his first two-homer game since college.

''I have it in me, but I don't have it in my swing yet,'' he said, referring to his power.

Norris hit a three-run homer to left with two outs in the first and barely missed another shot in the second, settling for a two-run triple off the wall in left-center, also with two outs.

The offensive outburst gave Tyson Ross (2-3) his first victory since April 12 against San Francisco.

The game was held up for 1 hour, 56 minutes in the first inning, just the fifth rain delay since Petco Park opened in 2004. It had rained earlier Thursday, but the tarp came off about an hour before first pitch. Rain started falling during the pregame managers' meeting, and crew chief Gerry Davis sent the players off after Ross struck out leadoff batter Denard Span.

Ross had a strong start, holding Washington to two runs and five hits in five-plus innings while striking out six and walking three.

''The key to the game was how the starting pitchers fared,'' Black said. ''Tyson came out of the chute and did his thing and we got to their guy.''

Said Ross: ''As a starting pitcher, you wait five days, so what's another hour or so? I kept moving and didn't let my body cool down.

My sinker-slider was good and the guys did me a huge favor getting all those first. Then I tried to work ahead and let my defense work for me.''

Fister (2-2) had a rough night, allowing seven runs and eight hits in two innings.

Fister said the delay didn't bother him.

''I can't make any excuses for what I did tonight,'' he said. ''It's one of those nights I didn't do my job at all and put my team in a hole from the get-go. There's no excuses. Ball came up, middle of the plate. They're whacking at it, too. It's unacceptable.''

Fister retired the first two Padres batters in the first before Matt Kemp and Justin Upton singled ahead of Norris' homer.

He retired the first two batters in the second before Spangenberg homered. Will Venable walked, Kemp singled and Upton hit an RBI single before Norris tripled.

Wilson Ramos drove in two runs for Washington, on a single and a sacrifice fly.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Nationals: 3B Anthony Rendon (oblique) has reported to extended spring training. ... RHP Casey Janssen (right shoulder) will throw on consecutive days in his final rehabilitation hurdle. ... LHP Felipe Rivero (stomach) is progressing in building arm strength, manager Matt Williams said.

Padres: 1B-OF Wil Myers had a cortisone shot Wednesday and his left wrist is in a brace due to tendinitis. He says he's hoping to avoid the disabled list. ''I got some goodies yesterday, so hopefully we can get back out there,'' he said. ... 1B Yonder Alonso has increased his range of motion in his strained right shoulder, but there's no timetable for his return.

UP NEXT

Nationals: RHP Jordan Zimmermann (2-2, 4.20) comes in with a 2-1 record and 0.60 ERA in four starts at Petco Park, his lowest ERA against any opponent with a minimum of two starts.

Padres: RHP Odrisamer Despaigne (2-1, 5.13 ERA) will make his second straight start after three straight appearances out of the bullpen.