Padres 7, Mets 3
SAN DIEGO -- Right-hander James Shields pitched seven strong innings, and third baseman Will Middlebrooks drove in three runs as the San Diego Padres beat the New York Mets 7-3 Wednesday night at Petco Park.
Shields (7-0) allowed two runs on six hits and two walks while striking out four. He became the second pitcher in Padres history to start a season with at least seven consecutive wins. Andy Hawkins began the 1985 season 11-0.
Outfielders Will Venable, Justin Upton and Matt Kemp had two hits apiece in the Padres' second straight win over the Mets, who lost for the fourth time in six games. San Diego completed a seven-game homestand with a 4-3 record.
After allowing only two hits over the first five innings while the Padres were building a 7-0 lead, Shields gave up single runs in the sixth and seventh, avoiding further damage by ending both innings with double-play grounders.
Middlebrooks capped a two-run first against Mets starter Dillon Gee with a sacrifice fly, then added a two-run single in the fifth to make it 7-0. Venable hit a two-run single in the fourth.
The Mets scored an unearned run in the ninth and had the bases loaded with two outs, bringing the tying run to the plate. Padres closer Craig Kimbrel retired first baseman Lucas Duda on a grounder to second to end the game.
Gee (0-3) struggled and didn't get much help from his teammates in his first start in a month. Gee had been out since May 4 with a mild right groin strain.
The Padres scored two unearned runs in the first then added two in the fourth and three in the fifth to lead 7-0 when Gee departed. He allowed seven runs (four earned) on eight hits and a walk in four-plus innings.
The trouble started when Mets third baseman Ruben Tejada couldn't handle the grounder hit by Padres catcher Derek Norris for the first of his two errors.
Gee then walked Upton ahead of a bases-loading single by Kemp. Gee forced in the game's first run by hitting first baseman Yonder Alonso with a pitch. Upton scored on Middlebrooks' sacrifice fly to center.
The Padres doubled their lead in the fourth. Second baseman Cory Spangenberg and shortstop Alexi Amarista opened the inning with back-to-back, line-drive singles to center. Shields sacrificed them to third and second, respectively, and Venable drove them both home with a line-drive single to right over a drawn-in infield.
Upton and Kemp opened the fifth with back-to-back singles, putting runners at the corners. Alonso grounded back to Gee, who threw wildly to the plate for an error in an attempt to keep Upton from scoring. Middlebrooks followed with a two-run single.
The Mets got on the board in the top of the sixth on Tejada's RBI double into the left field corner, scoring right fielder Curtis Granderson from first.
NOTES: The Mets optioned INF Danny Muno to Triple-A Las Vegas in order to activate RHP Dillon Gee from the disabled list. ... New York OF Michael Cuddyer was a late scratch Wednesday with a stiff neck. ... Mets RHP Vic Black (right shoulder tendinitis) was moved from Double-A Binghamton to Triple-A Las Vegas to continue his rehab assignment. ... New York C Travis d'Arnaud (broken right little finger) is set to restart his rehab assignment after a recent setback. ... Mets INF Dilson Herrera (fractured tip of his right middle finger) starts his rehab assignment Thursday. ... Padres CF/1B Wil Myers (left wrist tendinitis) took batting practice on the field Wednesday and could start a rehab assignment before the Padres return home from a seven-game road trip June 11. ... San Diego RHP Brandon Morrow will make a second rehab start with Double-A San Antonio on Sunday.