SAN DIEGO -- Robbie Erlin's second start of the season was much more successful than his first one.

Erlin (1-1) pitched two-hit ball for seven innings, leading the San Diego Padres past the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-0 on Saturday.

Recalled from Triple-A El Paso on Sept. 14, Erlin didn't allow a hit until Ender Inciarte tripled down the left-field line in the sixth. He gave up just one other hit, a single by A.J. Pollock in the seventh.

"I felt good," Erlin said. "I had a lot better fastball command this time than last time and my changeup was good, but my curveball was hit or miss."

In his last outing, Erlin was hit hard in Colorado and lasted only three innings. He struck out four and walked one in this one, his longest outing since May 6 last season.

"It was a little but different," Erlin said. "Last outing I left a lot of pitches over the middle of the plate. I just tried to keep it out of the middle of the plate and keep it on the corners and below the zone as much as you can."

Craig Kimbrel retired the side in the ninth for his 38th save in 41 chances.

Cory Spangenberg had three hits for the Padres, including two doubles.

"He's just learning how to play at this level," Padres interim manager Pat Murphy said. "He's just finding himself. You can see how competitive he is when he is comfortable and confident he is."

Justin Upton doubled home a run in the eighth to expand the Padres' lead to 2-0 against Josh Collmenter. Upton had been hitless in his previous 16 at-bats.

Jedd Gyorko drove in two runs for the Padres, both on sacrifice flies.

Jeremy Hellickson (9-11) made his third start since returning from the disabled list and allowed one run on four hits over six innings. He struck out five and walked two.

"I thought my stuff was pretty good," Hellickson said. "Fastball command was good early and then I started elevating some pitches. Especially that sac fly in the sixth, we were trying to get a grounder right there. That's the last thing I want to do is give him a pitch to get in the air."

Prior to Inciarte's triple, the Diamondbacks had been held hitless since the second inning of Friday's game, a span of 12 hitless innings.

"Robbie was fantastic," Murphy said. "He used his fastball on both sides of the plate and had a good changeup. He just really spotted his fastball."

The shutout was the sixth for the Padres this season.

"My job is to keep us in the game no matter what they're doing and attack the zone," Hellickson said. "This might be the first game where they didn't score any runs for me. It's the same mindset every game."

With the win, the Padres took the season series from the Diamondbacks for the third time in four years.

TRAINER'S ROOM

D-Backs: IF Nick Ahmed (lower back) was unavailable for a second straight game on Saturday.

Padres: RHP Brandon Maurer (shoulder) and RHP Colin Rea (forearm) will not pitch again this season.

UP NEXT

D-Backs: RHP Zack Godley (5-1, 3.48) faced San Diego in his last appearance and pitched one and a third innings in relief while allowing one run. His last start came on September 9 against San Francisco, in which he gave up one run over five innings and earned the win.

Padres: RHP James Shields (13-6, 3.86) takes the mound for San Diego following an outing in which he gave up four runs but picked up the win in Colorado. Prior to that start, Shields held the D-Backs to one run over seven innings in Arizona.