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Mets use big inning to down Padres

Aug 5, 2012 - 6:11 AM San Diego, CA (Sports Network) - Jordany Valdespin's two-run double highlighted a four-run second, while rookie Jeremy Hefner won his first game since May 29 as the New York Mets downed the San Diego Padres, 6-2, in the middle test of a three-game set.

Mike Baxter set a franchise record by drawing five walks in a nine-inning game. Vince Coleman also walked five times on Aug. 10, 1992 against the Pittsburgh Pirates, but needed 16 innings to do it.

Daniel Murphy went 4-for-4 with two runs scored for the Mets, who have won five of their last seven games.

Hefner (2-4) surrendered a run on five hits over six frames and Frank Francisco induced John Baker into a game-ending double play to notch his 19th save of the season.

"He changes speeds, uses his changeup, has a nice little slider," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "He doesn't try to overthrow and for the most part he's in the strike zone. He makes you swing the bat and doesn't beat himself by walking guys.

Struggling with his control, Edinson Volquez (7-8) lasted just 1 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on two hits and four walks for San Diego, which has dropped six of its last eight contests.

"His mechanics were out of whack," San Diego manager Bud Black said of taking Volquez out early. "It was to the point where I thought it might not get better as the game moved forward."

The Mets took advantage of Volquez's command issues in the four-run second.

Ike Davis singled to begin the frame and Murphy and Baxter worked back-to-back walks to load the bases. After Andres Torres struck out, a free pass to Josh Thole plated Davis and after Hefner fanned, Ruben Tejada walked to score Murphy. Valdespin then doubled to deep right, bringing home Baxter and Thole for a 4-0 lead.

Alexi Amarista's RBI single in the fourth got the Padres on the board, but the Mets got the run back in the seventh on Thole's RBI groundout and added another in the eighth on Davis' two-out run-scoring single to right, making it a 6-1 game.

Chase Headley cracked a leadoff homer in the ninth off Bobby Parnell to account for the final margin.

Game Notes

The Mets improved to 6-4 on their season-high 11-game road trip...Tejada had two hits to extend his hitting streak to 10 games...The Mets were 3-for-15 with runners in scoring position, while San Diego finished 1-for-4.