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Mets rally again to down Padres

Aug 10, 2011 - 5:45 AM Flushing, NY (Sports Network) - Nick Evans' pinch-hit, sacrifice fly tied the game before Ruben Tejada worked a bases loaded walk to cap a three-run eighth inning, and the Mets came from behind for the second straight game to edge the Padres, 5-4, at Citi Field.

D.J. Carrasco (1-2) tossed a scoreless eighth inning before New York's rally in the bottom half of the frame for the win. Chris Capuano started the contest and went six-plus innings, allowing four runs on nine hits and a walk in the Mets third win in four games.

"We all know what we can do. We know the kind of team we are," Mets center fielder Angel Pagan said about his team. "We like to fight until the end, and the last couple of nights we showed that."

Jason Isringhausen pitched a perfect ninth inning for his sixth save of the year and the 299th of his career.

Chad Qualls (5-6) took the loss by allowing the go-ahead runs to reach base in the eighth, spoiling Wade LeBlanc's quality start. LeBlanc allowed two runs on six hits and a walk while striking out five through six innings.

Jesus Guzman doubled twice, scored a run and knocked in one in the Padres' second straight loss after a four-game win streak.

New York overcame an 8-6 deficit on Monday with a three-run ninth, and the Mets found themselves in a two-run hole late in Tuesday's game as well.

Trailing 4-2 in the eighth, Pagan smacked a leadoff home run off Qualls to cut San Diego's deficit in half. Then, after allowing consecutive base hits to Justin Turner and David Wright, Qualls was pulled in favor of Josh Spence.

Lucas Duda laid down a sacrifice bunt on Spence's first pitch to put runners on second and third, and Jason Bay was intentionally walked to load the bases with one out. Evans stepped up next and lifted a ball into deep center field to bring home Turner, tying the game. Spence then lost the strike zone, giving consecutive walks to Ronny Paulino and Tejada to push the deciding run across the plate before fanning Mike Baxter to end the inning.

"It's tough when you're in a position to win a game and it doesn't happen. It's tough to win a game at times," Padres manager Bud Black said about the game.

Guzman led off the fourth with a double high off the wall in left field. Orlando Hudson followed with a ball over the head of Pagan in center field for a run-scoring double. Two batters later, Aaron Cunningham pulled a ball through the left side of the infield to bring home Hudson and give the Padres a 2-0 lead.

After back-to-back singles to start the bottom of the frame by Duda and Bay, Scott Hairston hammered an RBI double off the wall in left-center. A Paulino sacrifice fly scored Bay to knot the game.

San Diego quickly took its two-run lead right back with three consecutive two- out hits in the fifth. Cameron Maybin lined a single into left and came around to score when Jason Bartlett followed with a double to right-center. Guzman then hit a double of his own into the right-center gap.

Game Notes

Padres second baseman Hudson made his first career start as the No. 4 hitter in the lineup...San Diego third baseman James Darnell became the 10th Padres player to make his major league debut for the club this season...Guzman extended his career-best hit streak to 10 games...Bay extended his hit streak to 11 games...Hudson left the game in the fifth inning with a strained right groin...Capuano has now tossed at least five innings in each of his 22 starts this season.