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Mets-Padres Preview

Jun 1, 2010 - 6:37 AM By MATT BEARDMORE STATS Writer

New York (26-26) at San Diego (31-20), 10:05 p.m. EDT

The San Diego Padres are one of the worst hitting teams in the NL. It was hard to tell in their last game.

Coming off the best offensive performance in the history of Petco Park, the NL West-leading Padres look to win their fourth straight series at home against the road-weary New York Mets on Tuesday.

San Diego (31-20), which is among the league's worst in batting average (.248) and runs per game with 4.4, tagged Mets pitching for a season high-tying 19 hits in Monday's 18-6 victory.

"We swung the bats well tonight, but we also had some good luck," Chase Headley said after going 4 for 5 with a homer. "We had some balls that fell in for us that hadn't been falling in. It's nice to break out and have a big night like that."

It was the most runs scored by any team at Petco Park since it opened in 2004, and the most runs scored by the Padres in 431 all-time meetings with New York.

San Diego's previous record for runs at home in Petco came in a 17-2 victory over Atlanta in the April 12 home opener.

Leadoff man Jerry Hairston Jr. hit his second career grand slam Monday while Headley, Adrian Gonzalez, Nick Hundley and Chris Denorfia went a combined 12 for 16 with six RBIs to help San Diego beat New York (26-26) at Petco for the 11th time in 13 games and improve to 15-6 versus the Mets since the beginning of the 2007 season.

The Mets' struggles on the road don't end there. They are an NL-worst 7-17 on the road after dropping 13 of 17 away from Citi Field in May.

After giving up their most runs since a 19-10 loss at Montreal on July 26, 2004, and failing to win consecutive road games for the first time since July 25-26, the Mets will try to get back on track behind Mike Pelfrey (7-1, 2.54 ERA).

The right-hander looks to win his fourth consecutive start after pitching seven innings of three-hit ball in Thursday's 3-0 victory over Philadelphia.

"I think your job is to put up zeros," said Pelfrey, who has allowed two or fewer runs in seven of 10 starts. "I thought I was OK."

He is 1-0 with a 4.08 ERA in three starts against San Diego.

Looking to win their fourth straight game, the Padres will give the ball to Wade LeBlanc (2-3, 3.71).

Since posting a 1.61 ERA in his first five starts, the left-hander has allowed 12 runs in his last two outings. LeBlanc, who has lost a career-high three straight decisions, did not give up a home run in his first six appearances in 2010 but has served up two in each of his last two starts.

"I let the guys down," LeBlanc told the Padres' official website after yielding a career-high nine hits in Thursday's 8-3 loss to St. Louis. "I needed to make good pitches. I didn't. By no means is this going to carry on."

LeBlanc has never faced the Mets.

David Wright has two straight two-hit games after going 0 for 11 in his previous three.

Gonzalez, who has no homers in his last 11 games, is 2 for 8 with two homers lifetime versus Pelfrey.