SAN DIEGO (AP) — Marcus Stroman won his second straight decision after four consecutive losses and doubled in a run, pitching the New York Mets over the San Diego Padres 6-2 on Sunday for a four-game split.
Stroman (5-4) gave up an unearned run and four hits in 6 2/3 innings with seven strikeouts and four walks, his most since Sept. 12, 2019. He hit an RBI double down the left-field line in the seventh inning, scoring José Peraza from first for a 4-1 lead.
San Diego loaded the bases in the fourth when Webster Rivas hit a sharp grounder to third baseman Brandon Drury, who grabbed the ball while on his knee, tagged third and threw to first for an inning-ending double play.
Miguel Castro and Trevor May finished a six-hitter. The Mets have won eight of 11 heading into an off day following a flight to Baltimore, where they start a two-game series on Tuesday that completes a nine-game trip.
San Diego was held to four runs and 17 hits in the final three games of the series. The Padres lost for the sixth time in their last eight games.
Eric Hosmer hit an RBI grounder in the sixth after Fernando Tatis Jr. reached third leading off with a comebacker. Stroman, a Gold Glove-winning pitcher, bounced his throw past Pete Alonso for an error compounded when the first baseman while trying to throw let the ball slip out of his hand and roll wildly down foul territory in front of the San Diego dugout on the first-base side for another error.
Tommy Pham got the Padres’ second run-scoring grounder in the ninth.
Padres manager Jayce Tingler was ejected in the first inning by plate umpire Tripp Gibson after leaving the dugout to argue a ball four call on Chris Paddack against Dominic Smith, who umps decided held on a check swing. Tingler has been ejected six times, including four this season.
Paddack (2-5) dropped to 1-4 in his last seven starts, giving up three runs and six hits in six innings.
Center fielder Jurickson Profar broke in initially and misplayed Peraza’s fly in the third into a ground rule double, and Billy McKinney followed with an RBI single.
Smith homered in the fourth, and Alonso hit a run-scoring single for a 3-0 lead in the sixth. James McCann’s two-run homer off Craig Stamman boosted the lead to 6-1 in the eighth.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mets: OF Brandon Nimmo (nerve issue in left hand) has been taking swings and may attempt to hit balls in coming days. … INF Jonathan Villar (right hamstring tightness) may be ready to start in Baltimore.
Padres: RHP Taylor Williams was transferred to the 60-day IL to clear space on the 40-man roster for RHP Sam McWilliams, who was just claimed off waivers from the Mets. Williams hasn’t pitched since early April because due to a right knee injury.
UP NEXT
Mets: LHP David Peterson (1-4, 5.89) starts Tuesday against LHP Bruce Zimmermann (3-3, 4.96), with a matchup looming on Wednesday against former Mets star Matt Harvey.
Padres LHP Ryan Weathers (2-2, 2.06) opens a three-game series against the visiting Cubs on Monday night.
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