SAN DIEGO (AP) — Eduardo Escobar hit a two-run triple with two outs in the ninth inning to complete his first cycle, giving him six RBIs in boosting Carlos Carrasco and the New York Mets to an 11-5 win Monday night against the San Diego Padres.
Escobar tripled off Tim Hill over the head of right fielder Nomar Mazara in a four-run ninth. The switch-hitter pulled into third base and pumped his fist as teammates cheered in the dugout nearby.
The third baseman hit a two-run moonshot homer that sailed well over the party deck atop the right field wall off Craig Stammen with no outs in the eighth. It was his fifth.
Escobar also hit a two-run single in the first and a double in the fourth.
It was the 11th cycle in Mets history and the first since Scott Hairston on April 27, 2012.
It was also the first cycle at Petco Park, which opened in 2004.
The Mets, who are an NL-best 38-19, won their third straight game and for the ninth time in 11 games. The Padres, who have the NL's third-best record at 33-22, had their three-game winning streak snapped.
Carrasco (7-1) won his fourth straight start by holding the Padres to two runs and five hits in seven innings while striking out a season-high 10 and walking none. He limited the damage to two innings. Jorge Alfaro hit a leadoff double down the right field line leading off the third and scored on Jurickson Profar's one-out RBI single. Kim Ha-seong singled with two outs in the seventh and scored on Mazara's double.
The Mets tagged Blake Snell (0-3) with three runs in a plodding first inning that took 27 minutes while the left-hander threw 43 pitches. He allowed Starling Marte's one-out single, struck out Francisco Lindor and then issued three straight walks to force in a run. Escobar followed with a two-run single.
The Padres had Nabil Crismatt warming in the bullpen before Snell retired Jeff McNeil.
Escobar doubled leading off the fourth and scored on Brandon Nimmo's two-out single. J.D. Davis hit a sacrifice fly in the sixth.
Luke Voit hit a three-run homer for San Diego off Drew Smith with two outs in the eighth, his fifth. The ball bounced off the top off the wall in left-center and back onto the filed, and Voit paused at second. After an umpire review, it was ruled a homer.
STAR POWER
Former Michigan and San Diego State basketball coach Steve Fisher threw out the ceremonial first pitch on behalf of the ALS Association. His son, Mark, was diagnosed with ALS several years ago and continues to work as an assistant hoops coach at SDSU. ... Tennis great “Rocket” Rod Laver and Fred Lynn, the 1975 AL MVP and Rookie of the Year, chatted up Padres manager Bob Melvin before the game and then shared a laugh with Fisher. Laver, Lynn and Fisher all live in northern San Diego County.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Padres: SS Fernando Tatis Jr. is due to have another bone scan later this week on his surgically repaired left wrist, Melvin said. The Padres want to see enough improvement in the wrist before letting Tatis swing a bat. He has been running, taking grounders and throwing. He broke his wrist in the offseason, reportedly in a motorcycle accident in his native Dominican Republic.
UP NEXT
Mets RHP Taijuan Walker (3-1, 2.88 ERA) and Padres RHP Yu Darvish (4-3, 4.03) are scheduled to start Tuesday night in the middle game of the series. Walker has a 1.97 ERA in six career starts against San Diego.
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