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Wright, Mets take down Padres

Aug 18, 2011 - 4:17 AM San Diego, CA (Sports Network) - David Wright hit a three-run homer to back 6 2/3 strong innings from Dillon Gee, as the New York Mets downed the San Diego Padres, 7-3, in the rubber match of a three-game series.

Gee (11-4) allowed just one run on five hits and four walks while fanning five to earn the win.

Angel Pagan had three RBI for the Mets, who won a series in San Diego for the first time since 2002.

Mat Latos (6-12) allowed three runs on four hits over six innings to suffer the loss. He struck out six and walked two.

Aaron Cunningham, Nick Hundley and Alberto Gonzalez each had RBI doubles for the Padres.

In the bottom of the first, a Jason Bartlett single and a Cameron Maybin double placed runners at second and third with one out, but Gee struck out Jesus Guzman and grounded out Orlando Hudson to escape.

With Pagan and Willie Harris aboard in the third, Wright lifted a 2-2 fastball over the wall in left.

"Just a fastball over the plate to one of the best players in our league," Padres manager Bud Black said. "He showed it in this series, defensively also."

Latos drew a leadoff walk in the home half, but Gee struck out Will Venable, then made a behind-the-back grab on a Bartlett grounder to initiate a 1-6-3 double play.

In the fourth, Maybin worked a leadoff walk and reached second with two down. Logan Forsythe then ripped a grounder down the third base line. Wright made the diving stop and faked the throw to first before tagging out Maybin, who had rounded third on the fake throw.

"When [Wright] dove and caught it, you knew he wasn't going to make the play at first," said Gee. "For him to recognize that Maybin was rounding was huge."

Pat Neshek relieved Latos to begin the seventh and gave up a single to Ruben Tejada before hitting Gee in the right kneecap. Tejada reached third on a delayed steal and crossed the plate on Pagan's groundout.

Gee remained in the game and allowed a leadoff double to Hudson to begin the home seventh. Two batters later, Cunningham doubled to make it a 4-1 game. Gee then retired pinch hitter Hundley but was pulled after walking Kyle Blanks.

Tim Byrdak entered and walked James Darnell to load the bases, before Manny Acosta came on and struck out Bartlett with a high fastball to end the inning.

The Mets loaded the bases with two down in the eighth and Pagan delivered a two-run single before Harris drove in a run with a base hit to left.

Lucas Duda belted a shot to left in the ninth, but Blanks cleared the wall with his glove and pulled back the potential home run.

Ryota Igarashi issued a one-out walk to Cunningham in the bottom half before Hundley double to center. Two batters later, Gonzalez laced a double to left, sealing the final margin.

Game Notes

Gee became the first Mets rookie pitcher to win 11 games in a season since Ron Darling had 12 wins in 1984...New York hadn't won a series in San Diego since May 16-19, 2002 at Qualcomm Stadium and had never won a series at Petco Park...The Mets are now 9-18 at Petco Park since the new stadium opened in '04...The Padres have lost nine straight series finales...New York took the season series 4-3.