Wright homers to lift Mets over Padres

SAN DIEGO – After hitting a big home run, David Wright faked out Cameron Maybin.

Wright hit a three-run homer and Angel Pagan added three RBIs to lift the Mets to their first series in San Diego in more than nine years with a 7-3 win over the San Diego Padres on Wednesday night.

Maybin was on second base when Logan Forsythe hit a hard grounder down the third base line with two outs. Wright dived and stopped the ball some 15 feet behind the bag then popped to his feet and faked the throw to first when he saw Maybin wasn't watching him.

Then he just had to run toward the San Diego speedster and get him before he could dive back to the bag.

"I can remember trying to do that when I was younger," Wright said. "You play long enough and you start getting different instincts."

Wright said when the ball was hit, he realized he had no chance to throw out Forsythe.

"I just wanted to keep it in the infield and prevent the runner from scoring once I caught it," Wright said. "I knew kind of right then that I was going to try and give the pump fake with Cam running because he has so much speed, he was going to try to score if I threw it.

"He probably would have scored if I did throw it. I wanted to work his speed against him."

That play helped keep New York in front 3-0 following Wright's third-inning homer off Mat Latos (6-12), his 10th of the season. Wright became just the second Met to hit at least 10 homers in his first eight seasons with club, according to statistics provided by the Mets from the Elias Sports Bureau.

"With those shadows, you can't see the ball very well," Wright said. "So, you go up there and pick one pitch and not miss it. I was fortunate to get the one pitch he struck me out on (in the first)."

Said New York manager Terry Collins: "He's played great. He's played tremendous third base."

Since returning from the disabled list on July 22, Wright is batting .314 (32 of 102) with four homers and 21 RBIs.

"Just a fastball out over the plate to one of the best players in our league," San Diego manager Bud Black said about Wright's homer. "He showed it in this series defensively and he swung the bat, also."

Rookie Dillon Gee (11-4) limited the Padres to one run on five hits. The right-hander, who pitched 6 2-3 innings, also started an inning-ending double play in the third by snagging a grounder behind his back without looking.

It was just the second time in his last five starts that Gee pitched past the fifth inning.

"I felt like the changeup was better than in past outings," Gee said. "I got back to using the fastball and changeup. That's what got me here and that's my pitch."

Pagan had two hits, including a two-run double in the eighth inning when the Mets scored three times to increase their lead to 7-1.

The last time New York won a series in San Diego was May 2002 at Qualcomm Stadium. Since Petco Park opened in 2004, the Mets are just 9-18 there.

New York won for only the fifth time in 17 games.

San Diego had seven hits, including five doubles, after reaching double figures in hits in the first two games of the series.

Trailing 4-0, the Padres finally got to Gee when Orlando Hudson doubled leading off the seventh and scored on Aaron Cunningham's one-out double. After Gee issued a two-out walk to pinch-hitter Kyle Blanks, Tim Byrdak came in and walked pinch-hitter James Darnell to load the bases. Manny Acosta then struck out Bartlett to end the threat.

Latos gave up three runs on four hits over six innings. He struck out six and walked two.

NOTES: New York has allowed two or more runs in 37 consecutive games. ... Latos has given up three earned runs or less in 10 straight starts. ... The Mets failed to hit a double, snapping their streak of 14 straight games. ... RHP Mike Pelfrey (6-9. 4.53 ERA), who faced three batters in a relief appearance Tuesday night, will start in the Mets next game Friday night against Milwaukee RHP Shaun Marcum (10-3, 3.50). ... San Diego RHP Tim Stauffer (7-9, 3.53), who has allowed 13 earned runs in his last two starts, will face Florida's Javier Vazquez (7-10, 4.68) when the visiting Marlins open a four-game series Thursday night.