• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Gonzalez's homer propels Padres to win over Mets

Aug 24, 2007 - 4:03 AM By Doug Mittler PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) -- On a night when a pair of elite closers faltered, Heath Bell made a home run by Adrian Gonzalez stand up.

Gonzalez homered with one out in the 10th inning and Bell earned the save against his former team as the San Diego Padres outlasted the New York Mets, 9-8, on Thursday in the rubber game of a three-game series.

Milton Bradley and Marcus Giles each drove in a pair of runs for San Diego (68-58), which increased its lead in the National League wild card race to two games over the Philadelphia Phillies (66-60) and trail the idle Arizona Diamondbacks (72-56) by three in the National League West Division.

Gonzalez belted a 3-2 fastball from Aaron Heilman (7-6) over the right field wall for his team-leading 21st homer of the season, a solo shot with one out.

"He tried to overthrow a bunch of fastballs that allowed me to get comfortable," Gonzalez said. "He left a fastball over the plate."

The blast made a winner of Trevor Hoffman (3-4), baseball's all-time saves leader who surrendered a game-tying sacrifice fly by David Wright in the ninth.

"They're not concerned as hitters if they're ahead or behind in the count," said Hoffman, who retired Moises Alou with the bases loaded in the ninth to send the game into extra innings. "They take what they can get."

Bell, who was acquired from the Mets in an offseason trade, entered in the 10th and recorded his first career save by getting Luis Castillo to hit into a forceout with the tying run in scoring position.

"The first (save) is always special," Bell said. "I've been blessed with the opportunity of playing behind guys like Billy Wagner and Trevor Hoffman. Hopefully in a few years, I can close. Doing it against the Mets is extra special."

Castillo had three hits for the Mets (71-55), who lead the Phillies (66-60) by five games in the NL East.

The Padres took an 8-7 lead in the top of the ninth with a rally against Mets closer Billy Wagner. Pinch hitter and former Met Terrmel Sledge tied the game with an RBI single and scored on a base hit by Josh Bard.

"Things happened to both of us," Wagner said of the rough nights for himself and Hoffman. "That's the way it goes."

The Mets used a six-run sixth inning to take a 7-6 lead, but Wagner allowed a leadoff double by Khalil Greene before Sledge hit a bloop double over third base to tie the game. Bard then put the Padres ahead with a single to center.

Both bullpens struggled, as the Padres carried a 6-1 advantage into the sixth before the Mets chased starter Justin Germano and rallied against the majors' best relief corps.

Germano left after loading the bases and was relieved by Cla Meredith, who got an out before walking Alou to force in a run. Shawn Green followed with a two-run single to cut the deficit to 6-4.

Sandy Alomar Jr. lined out to second before pinch hitter Marlon Anderson belted an 0-1 pitch over the right field wall to put New York in front, 7-6.

However, Gonzalez and the Padres were confident the game was not over.

"After that inning, we came back in the dugout and said we had three innings left and not to keep your head down," Gonzalez said. "We felt we could score against their bullpen."

New York starter Tom Glavine, who had been 4-1 with a 1.96 ERA in his previous six outings here, allowed six runs and 11 hits in five innings with three walks and a strikeout.

Meanwhile, Germano yielded four runs - three earned - and five hits in five frames, walking two and striking out two.