May 14, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Padres catcher Derek Norris (3) hits a three run home run during the first inning against the Washington Nationals at Petco Park. Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
SAN DIEGO — Cory Spangenberg’s two solo home runs and Derek Norris’ five RBIs lifted the San Diego Padres to an 8-3 win over the Washington Nationals, 8-3 on Thursday night at Petco Park.
Spangenberg, San Diego’s third baseman, smacked his first two homers of the season. Norris, the Padres’ catcher, hit a three-run homer and a two-run triple.
Right-hander Tyson Ross (2-3) got the win, working five-plus innings in a game that was delayed by rain for nearly two hours after the first batter. Ross was charged with two runs on five hits with six strikeouts and three walks. He lost his three previous decisions and hadn’t won since April 12.
Nationals starter Doug Fister (2-2) lasted but two innings and was nicked for seven runs and eight hits.
Spangenberg, Norris, right fielder Matt Kemp, first baseman Will Middlebrooks and left fielder Justin Upton had two hits apiece for San Diego.
Few teams have been hotter than the Nationals, who entered the game with wins in 12 of their past 15 games.
However, the Padres, who were coming off a 4-5 road trip, jumped on Fister when the rain subsided. They scored three times in the first inning, added four more in the second and one more in the third.
Ross exited after consecutive walks to open the sixth inning, but Dale Thayer, the first of three Padres relievers, retired the side to strand the runners.
When Fister returned to the mound after the rain delay, it was clear he didn’t possess his best stuff. Four of the first Padres he faced got hits.
The first inning’s big blow was a three-run homer by Norris, his third of the year. Norris’ blast on a 86 mph fastball came after Kemp and Upton singled and gave the Padres a 3-0 cushion.
The Padres extended the lead to 7-0 in the second. Spangenberg struck his first homer of the season and Upton hit a run-scoring single. Norris nearly struck his second homer in two innings, when his triple bounced high off the left-center-field fence to score Kemp and Upton.
Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos extended his career-high hitting streak to a major-league-best 16 games with an RBI single in the fourth inning, cutting the deficit to 7-1.
Spangenberg’s second homer of the game gave the Padres an 8-1 edge in the fourth inning.
NOTES: Padres OF Wil Myers received a cortisone injection in his sore left wrist. Manager Bud Black said Myers could be available in two to four days. … Padres 1B Yonder Alonso increased his range of motion in his strained right shoulder, but there’s no timetable for his return. … San Diego RHP Brandon Morrow (right shoulder) has yet to be cleared to resume throwing. … Nationals 3B Anthony Rendon (knee, oblique) went to the team’s Florida facility to begin baseball activities. … RHP Casey Janssen (right shoulder) will throw on consecutive days in his final rehabilitation hurdle. … Washington LHP Felipe Rivero (stomach) continues to build his arm strength, manager Matt Williams said.
