Spangenberg manufactures runs with wheels

SAN DIEGO -- Cory Spangenberg possess the one skillset the Padres don't have an abundance of -- speed.

On Friday, the Padres' second baseman utilized iest in the best way possible, helping his team run to a 4-2 victory over the D-backs at Petco Park.

Spangenberg had three hits, two of the infield variety, stole two bases and scored two runs as the Padres opened a five-game homestand.

"When things aren't going as well as you want, you got to find ways to win," Spangenberg said.

In the third inning, and with the Padres trailing 2-1, Spangenberg began the inning with a single to left field. He moved to second base on bunt by pitcher Tyson Ross. Spangenberg stole third base and, when the throw from catcher Welington Castillo sailed into left field, he scored.

"It's more about baserunning than just pure speed," said Padres interim manager Pat Murphy. "You look at [coaches Dave Roberts and Jose Valentin] and the gameplan they put against this guy [D-backs pitcher Robbie Ray] from a baserunning standpoint and it followed.

"Cory's speed helped. Another guy might not be safe in those situations."

Then in the fifth inning, with the scored tied, Spangenberg reached on an infield single. He stole second base and Ross bunted him to third base, where he scored on a sacrifice fly to center field by Matt Kemp.

Video: ARI@SD: Padres take the lead on Kemp's sacrifice fly

"You know me and Doc [Roberts] go over a ton of stuff before the game, just on deciding who I can and who I can't run against, and I think I just picked a really good guy tonight [Ray]," Spangenberg said.

"You want to get to third with one out for Matty and you know just so a fly ball scores, and I think I got a good jump and it was a breaking ball count and he threw a breaking ball so the combination … it was just a good jump and a good pitch."