Spangenberg sprains left knee, goes for MRI

SAN DIEGO -- Second baseman Cory Spangenberg departed Saturday night's 7-2 victory over Arizona in the bottom of the fourth inning with a sprained left knee.

After the game, interim manager Pat Murphy said that Spangenberg left for an MRI.

"I have no idea the word. I am anxiously awaiting that," Murphy said.

Spangenberg had a one-out double in the inning on a ball into the left-field corner. Murphy and trainer Paul Navarro spoke with him briefly at second base.

Spangenberg then advanced to third base on a wild pitch. But he was replaced by pinch-runner Clint Barmes, who remained in the game at shortstop with Alexi Amarista going from shortstop to second base.

"He looked me right in the eye and said 'No, I can do it, I can do it,'" Murphy said. "The competitor in him wanted to stay in the game thinking it would calm down. But when I saw him run to third, I said that's it."

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Murphy said Spangenberg first aggravated the leg in the top of the first inning when he came up slow after D-backs leadoff hitter Nick Ahmed slid into him at second base trying to break up an inning-ending double play.

"You know, a clean slide. A good slide. A little bit late and the way you like to teach it," Murphy said. "He made a great play to get rid of it."

Spangenberg was 1-for-2 in the game.

He played a big role in Friday's 4-2 victory over the D-backs as he had three hits, scored two runs and stole two bases.

If the Padres do need infield reinforcements -- especially if Spangenberg is going to miss multiple days -- second baseman Jedd Gyorko, currently with Triple-A El Paso, would be the logical addition. El Paso is currently playing in Tacoma.