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Padres slug way past Mets

May 25, 2012 - 6:02 AM Flushing, NY (Sports Network) - Cameron Maybin had three hits, two RBI and scored three times as the San Diego Padres hammered the New York Mets, 11-5, in the opener of a four-game series at Citi Field.

Will Venable, Jesus Guzman and Andy Parrino also knocked in a pair of runs each for the Padres, who snapped a three-game slide.

Eric Stults (1-0) allowed one unearned run on four hits and a walk in five full frames to earn the win.

Jeremy Hefner (0-2) was touched for six runs on nine hits through 3 2/3 innings in his first career start to suffer the loss. He had made two relief appearances earlier this season, giving up two runs in eight innings.

David Wright had three hits, including a two-run homer, and raised his average to .405 for the season.

"It's really, really early so you can't get caught up in [chasing .400]," said Wright. "The important categories are, you know, I want to be able to drive runs in and score runs. Those are things that don't fluctuate. Once you drive in a run or score a run that never goes away. Your batting average is going to fluctuate depending on if you were a little lucky that night."

New York had its two-game win streak come to an end.

After the Mets failed to capitalize on Wright's two-out double in the first inning, they broke through in the second when Vinny Rottino reached first on a fielder's choice, advanced to second on Andres Torres' base hit and came home on Padres catcher Nick Hundley's throwing error to third on a double-steal attempt.

Torres moved to third on the play, but was stranded there as Rob Johnson hit a grounder back to the mound and Hefner struck out to keep it a 1-0 game.

The game was then delayed by rain and resumed 68 minutes later.

Everth Cabrera reopened the game by legging out a double on a ball slapped down the third-base line and rounded the bases two batters later on Venable's two-bagger. Maybin followed with a base hit up the middle to plate Venable.

Maybin then moved to third on a Yonder Alonso double off the right field wall and both came around to score on Guzman's double to right as Alonso slid past the tag of Johnson at home to give the Padres a 4-1 advantage.

"The good thing about our guys is I don't hear them complain. I really don't," said Padres manager Bud Black about coming back from the rain delay. "Our guys come to play."

San Diego added to its lead in the fourth inning when Cabrera singled, stole second and crossed the plate on Venable's double down the first base line. Maybin stepped up next and sent a liner to second that deflected off the tip of Daniel Murphy's glove to score Venable and knock Hefner out of the game.

Wright's two-run homer to straightaway center field in the sixth brought the Mets within 6-3, but Chase Headley's RBI single and Parrino's two-run base hit in the seventh inning extended San Diego's cushion.

Maybin reached first on a fielder's choice and rounded the bases on an Alonso double in the eighth before New York answered with Ike Davis' two-run pinch- hit single in the bottom of the frame to make it a 10-5 game.

Hundley's leadoff homer to left in the ninth inning capped the scoring as Alex Hinshaw worked a scoreless home ninth to close out the victory for the Padres.

Game Notes

The Mets fell to 12-9 at home this season, while San Diego improved to 5-13 on the road...Stults upped his record to 2-1 in four career starts against the Mets...Cabrera finished with a career-high four hits...New York went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left seven men on base...The Padres hit 7-for-16 with runners in scoring position and stranded eight.