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09/16 23:39 CDT Baty leads power surge as Mets beat Padres 8-3 in series opener between NL playoff contenders Baty leads power surge as Mets beat Padres 8-3 in series opener between NL playoff contenders By JERRY BEACH Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) --- Brett Baty hit a two-run homer that capped a five-run first inning for the New York Mets, who beat the San Diego Padres 8-3 on Tuesday night to win consecutive games for the first time in two weeks. Francisco Lindor, Pete Alonso and Cedric Mullins also went deep as the Mets improved to 4-9 this month. They won their second straight following an eight-game losing streak --- their longest since 2018. New York remained 1 1/2 games ahead of Arizona in a four-team race for the final National League wild card. Brandon Nimmo had an RBI single in the first and Jeff McNeil delivered a two-run double off an ineffective Michael King in the opener of a three-game series between NL playoff contenders. Jackson Merrill, Jake Cronenworth and Freddy Fermin homered for the Padres, who occupy the second wild-card spot, four games ahead of the Mets. San Diego entered Tuesday two games behind the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West. Struggling lefty Sean Manaea (2-3), serving in a piggyback role behind Clay Holmes, allowed one run in five innings of relief for the win. Holmes, completing his first full season as a starter, permitted three hits --- including the homers by Merrill and Cronenworth --- in four innings. King (4-3), making his third start since May 18 following right shoulder and left knee injuries, set career highs by giving up eight runs and 10 hits over three innings. The four homers he allowed tied a career worst set April 12, 2024.

Key moment Baty's 416-foot shot was his second homer in his last 23 games.

Key stats Alonso (35 homers) and Juan Soto (40 homers) are the first Mets teammates to reach 35 home runs in the same season since Carlos Beltrn (41) and Carlos Delgado (36) in 2006. ... The Mets scored five runs in the first inning after scoring five or fewer in each of their previous 11 games.

Up next Mets LHP David Peterson (9-5, 3.77 ERA) opposes Padres RHP Nick Pivetta (13-5, 2.73) on Wednesday night. ___ A previous version of this story corrected Michael King's record. ___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

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