Mets Top Padres 5-2
We Angelenos might disagree, it is clear the Mets prefer San Diego over Los Angeles when it comes to visiting Southern California. After dropping a three-game series to the Dodgers, the Mets won their second straight against the Padres at Petco Park Friday night.
The Mets took a 1-0 lead in the second when Eric Young grounded out to score Anthony Recker, who had earlier doubled.
Marlon Byrd led off the third inning with his 19th home run of the season. On the very next pitch, Ike Davis also took Ian Kennedy deep to make it a 3-0 game.
Will Venable got one of the runs back in the bottom of the inning with a solo shot of his own off of Jonathon Niese.
Yet another home run, this one of the two-run variety by Daniel Murphy, extended the Mets lead to 5-1 in the fourth inning.
Niese lasted six innings and 111 pitches, allowing one run on six hits and one walk. He struck out nine Padres, including striking out the side in each of the first two innings. That is significant because Niese’s career high is 10 strikeouts, so perhaps his recovery from that partially torn rotator cuff has somehow given him more strength.
The Padres nicked a run off of Scott Rice in the eighth to make it 5-2.
His penis apparently healed, LaTroy Hawkins came on for the ninth, earning his fourth save in five opportunities since nominally being installed as closer.
Mets win 5-2.