Ross, Cashner notch back-to-back wins for first time in '15

Bill Center, longtime sportswriter for U-T San Diego, is an employee of the Padres.

Over the past two nights, Padres starting pitchers Tyson Ross and Andrew Cashner allowed four runs on 10 hits and five walks with 13 strikeouts in 13 innings.

Each picked up a win.

And that marked the first time this season that Ross and Cashner picked up wins in back-to-back games -- and was only the second time this season that the Padres won back-to-back games when Ross and Cashner started.

The Padres are 12-20 this season in games started by Cashner (5-11) and Ross (7-9), who, respectively, have 3-9 and 5-7 individual records.

In his first five starts this month, Cashner was 0-2 with a 8.31 ERA and he had allowed 35 hits and 14 walks in 26 innings.

Two other notes from Saturday night's game.

Right fielder Matt Kemp drove in his 40th run of the season, making the Padres the only team in the National League with three players with 40 or more RBIs.

Kemp joined left fielder Justin Upton and catcher Derek Norris. Upton raised his season total to 46 Saturday night with a two-run homer. Norris picked up his 42nd RBI with a groundout.

Saturday night's win gave the Padres a second series win over Arizona this season at Petco Park. The Padres are 2-1-1 in series against the D-backs this season.

FROM THE SCORECARD:

• Upton is 8-for-25 in a six-game hitting streak with a double, Saturday night's two-run homer and three RBIs. He also has 10 strikeouts in the 25 at-bats. Eleven of Upton's 14 homers this season have been hit at Petco Park. That is the highest total by a Padre at Petco Park before the All-Star break since the ballpark opened in 2004. In 37 home games this season, Upton is hitting .328 (45-for-137) with the 11 homers and 29 RBIs.

• Second baseman Cory Spangenberg went for an MRI after the game after coming out in the fourth inning with a sprained left knee. He suffered the injury while making the pivot on a first-inning double play when he was slid into by Arizona shortstop Nick Ahmed. The knee worsened while he was running the bases after doubling in the fourth.

• Kemp is 5-for-16 with two doubles, a home run and four RBIs since moving into the leadoff slot four games ago (June 24).

"Matt sent a message to the whole team when he said, 'Put me there,'" said Padres interim manager Pat Murphy.

• First baseman Yonder Alonso is 9-for-24 in a six-game hitting streak that matches his season high. He was 2-for-5 Saturday night with a double, a RBI and two runs scored.