Padres 8, Mets 7
NEW YORK -- Justin Upton hit a three-run homer with two outs in the top of the ninth inning Wednesday to complete the San Diego Padres' stunning comeback in an 8-7 victory over the New York Mets at Citi Field in a game that featured two rain delays totaling more than 3 1/2 hours.
The Padres trailed 7-1 in the seventh when first baseman Derek Norris hit a grand slam. The Mets still led 7-5 entering the ninth when, with skies darkening and thunder rumbling, right-hander Jeurys Familia retired the first two batters on just three pitches. Familia then got ahead of Norris 0-1 before heavy rains arrived and umpires waved the teams off the field at 2:45 p.m. ET.
Forty-four minutes later, play resumed and Familia promptly got a swinging strike on Norris. But Norris fouled off the next three pitches before he blooped a single into right field for his fifth hit in as many at-bats.
Right fielder Matt Kemp followed with another single. Heavy rain again began falling as Upton hit the first pitch he saw from Familia (2-1) beyond the center-field wall for his 18th homer of the season.
Familia, who has blown all three of his save opportunities in the second half of the season, got out of the inning by retiring third baseman Yangervis Solarte on a comebacker, after which the game was halted again.
Play finally resumed again at 6:27 p.m., after a 2:52 delay. With about 200 fans in attendance, Padres right-hander Craig Kimbrel retired the side in order to notch his 30th save.
The blown lead was the biggest of the season for the Mets.
Right-hander Marcos Mateo (1-0) picked up his first big league win in more than four years by throwing a perfect ninth.
Kemp had two hits and an RBI as the Padres (49-53) took two of three from the Mets (52-50) in an eventful three-game series.
New York rookie right-hander Noah Syndergaard retired the first 18 batters he faced in Tuesday’s 4-0 win. On Wednesday, Mets shortstop Wilmer Flores played the final several innings believing he was about to be traded to the Milwaukee Brewers, only to hear after the Padres' 7-3 victory that the trade fell through.
On Thursday, Mets right fielder Curtis Granderson was 2-for-3 with a three-run homer and two runs. Third baseman Juan Uribe hit a solo homer, second baseman Daniel Murphy and center fielder Juan Lagares lofted sacrifice flies and shortstop Ruben Tejada had an RBI single.
The Padres' comeback spared right-hander Andrew Cashner the loss and cost Mets left-hander Jonathon Niese the win. Niese allowed one run, six hits and one walk while striking out six in six innings. Cashner surrendered seven runs (five earned), six hits and two walks while striking out three in 5 1/3 innings.
NOTES: Padres RHP Brandon Morrow (right shoulder) was scratched from a rehab start with Triple-A El Paso on Thursday because of continued stiffness in the shoulder. Morrow hasn't pitched in the majors since May 2. ... Padres RHP Tyson Ross, who left Wednesday's start with a stiff right quad, should make his next start as scheduled. Ross was hit in the quad by a comebacker off the bat of Mets OF Kirk Nieuwenhuis. ... C Travis d'Arnaud (left elbow sprain), who has been on the disabled list since June 23, rejoined the Mets after five rehab games with Double-A Binghamton and is expected to be activated Friday. ... Mets RHP Rafael Montero will be examined after feeling shoulder stiffness during a recent throwing session. He has been on the disabled list since April 30 with rotator cuff inflammation.