Major League Baseball

Padres 11, Diamondbacks 3

Published Mar. 30, 2010 6:43 a.m. ET

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Kyle Blanks and Will Venable each hit a two-run home run to lead the San Diego Padres to an 11-3 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday night.

Wade LeBlanc, battling for the fifth spot in the Padres' rotation, improved to 4-0 with three innings of one-run ball. LeBlanc was an emergency starter in place of Padres rookie Corey Luebke, who was scratched 90 minutes before the first pitch because of a mild oblique strain.

LeBlanc is one of two pitchers, along with Mat Latos, vying for a spot on the Padres' Opening Day roster.

``It was just another step,'' LeBlanc said. ``I've stayed a lot longer this spring training than I did last spring training. I feel like I've built upon September this spring and wherever I'm at, it doesn't matter if it's San Diego or Portland, I'm going to keep working.''

Arizona starter Kevin Mulvey, also fighting for a No. 5 rotation slot, allowed eight runs - three earned - on six hits in two innings. Mulvey's competition, Billy Buckner, allowed two runs on one hit in four innings.

In his previous outing Wednesday, Buckner allowed five runs on seven hits in 3 2-3 innings.

``That was much better,'' Buckner said. ``That's how I pitch and that's how I know to pitch. I know I have it in me, that I'm the same pitcher that I was at the end of last year. I just have to prove it.''

Justin Upton, who had a two-run homer, Chris Young and Stephen Drew each had two hits for Arizona.

Jerry Hairston Jr. had a three-run double for the Padres and Adrian Gonzalez had an RBI single.

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