Mets start critical 10-game road trip with solid win over Padres

SAN DIEGO — The postseason feel was there, with two ace starting pitchers battling Thursday in front of a sellout crowd and runs at a premium for most of the night.

But the Mets ultimately delivered punches.

The Padres jabbed.

A close game for eight innings turned into a comfortable cushion and 8-3 victory for the Mets in front of 41,673 at Petco Park to begin a 10-game road trip that includes plenty of wild-card flavor.

In winning for the third time in four games, the Mets (67-61) remained 1 ½ lengths behind Atlanta for the NL’s third wild-card spot.

The Padres (72-57) fell a half-game behind Arizona for the first wild card.

“I feel like when we play great teams like this we tend to engage and be a little bit more locked in,” Mark Vientos said. “If we take that with every team we’re going to be in a good spot toward the end of the season.”

After scoring three runs against Padres ace Dylan Cease into the seventh, the Mets erupted late and finished with 17 hits.

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But the best sign might have been the manner in which their bullpen withstood the challenge after Luis Severino failed to work deep into the game.

Danny Young, Reed Garrett and Phil Maton each pitched a scoreless inning — without allowing a hit — before Huascar Brazoban survived a messy ninth after the Mets had broken the game open in the top of the frame.

The Mets led only 3-1 before scoring five runs in the ninth. Brazoban gave two of those runs back.

“It was really good to see those guys coming in and doing their job,” manager Carlos Mendoza said.

The Padres have been among MLB’s hottest teams, with nine series victories in their last 10.

But they now have lost consecutive games for the first time since July 19.

“I love the environment here,” Vientos said. “It’s exciting. A great ball club and a great pitcher on the mound. We did our job and let’s keep on going.”

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Severino built his pitch count early and had to labor through the fifth, ending his night after only five innings.

The right-hander allowed one earned run on five hits and four walks over that stretch.

It followed the gem Severino fired against the Marlins last Saturday when he threw 113 pitches and became the first Mets pitcher since Jacob deGrom in 2021 to throw a complete-game shutout .

“I didn’t feel tired,” Severino said. “I knew my leash was going to be a little bit shorter today because of the amount of pitches I threw last time, but I feel good.”

Vientos’ RBI double in the first inning produced the game’s first run.

Francisco Lindor doubled leading off and Vientos smacked Cease’s next pitch into the left-field corner.

Jose Iglesias’ double was the big hit for the Mets in the third, when they scored twice to extend their lead to 3-0.

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After Jesse Winker singled, Iglesias hit a shot that bounced on the warning track in deep left-center and reached the seats.

Winker was sent back to third, but scored on a passed ball by Luis Campusano with Francisco Alvarez at the plate.

Jeff McNeil’s two-out infield single brought in the third run.

Severino walked Jurickson Profar to load the bases with nobody out in the fifth, but got Jake Cronenworth to hit into a double play — Iglesias lunged to stop the sharply hit grounder and Pete Alonso managed to keep his foot on first base while falling to secure Lindor’s throw.

“For me that was the play of the game right there,” Mendoza said. “Sevy was able to finish that inning and then the bullpen came in and did a hell of a job.”

Vientos delivered a two-run single against a drawn-in infield in the ninth after the Mets had loaded the bases with nobody out to extend the lead to 5-1.

Alonso’s third single of the game brought in another run before Winker stroked an RBI triple. Iglesias’ RBI infield single extended the lead to 8-1.

Brazoban allowed two hits and two walks in the ninth before recording the final out.

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