NEW YORK (AP) – Pinch-hitter Chris Woodward hit a two-run homer with one out in the 11th inning, giving the Mets a 3-1 victory over the San Diego Padres on Tuesday night.

Woodward homered on an 0-1 pitch off Chris Hammond (5-1) after Mike Piazza, dropped to sixth in the order for the first time since May 12, 1993, singled with one out. It was Woodward’s first home run as a pinch-hitter and the second game-ending homer this season for the Mets, who moved above .500 at 47-46.

Braden Looper (3-4) pitched two innings for the win.

Cliff Floyd homered off the scoreboard in right-center in the fifth, the Mets first baserunner against Brian Lawrence and tying it 1-all. Khalil Greene connected off Kris Benson to open the top of the fifth.

Then the Mets fell flat, leaving seven runners on base after the sixth inning. They had runners on first and second with one out in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings but failed to score against the Padres’ bullpen.

In the seventh, Doug Mientkiewicz grounded into a double play, and in the eighth Mike Cameron grounded into a fielder’s choice and Carlos Beltran flied out. In the ninth, pinch-hitter Jose Offerman popped out and Miguel Cairo struck out.

Benson allowed five hits and two walks in seven innings, striking out four. Three of the hits were by Greene.

Lawrence, who had lost three straight starts coming in, but he was perfect for the first four innings and his only real mistake was Floyd’s 23rd homer.

He was pulled after giving up two hits in the seventh and made a deliberate walk to the Padres dugout, scratching his head. Lawrence gave up five hits, walked none and struck out four.

Center fielder Dave Roberts helped Lawrence with three long running catches at the wall in left-center, each more dangerous than the next. The first came in the third on Floyd’s flyball, which he caught just in front of the wall.

In the fourth, Roberts ran down consecutive drives to the same spot in left-center, first running into the wall as he caught Cameron’s fly, then sliding into the wall to catch Beltran’s fly.

When he came to the plate in the top of the fifth, Roberts was booed by the She Stadium crowd of 37,945.

Notes: The Mets-Cubs game Aug. 7 will start at 8:05 p.m. to accommodate ESPN. It was originally scheduled for a 1:10 p.m. start. … Mets RHP Steve Trachsel (back surgery) is to make a rehab start Wednesday for Class-A St. Lucie. … The Padres don’t face an NL West team until they host Colorado Aug. 26-28. … Roberts, the Padres leader in stolen bases with 16, was thrown out at second in the eighth inning by Piazza, who has thrown out just eight of 66 runners.

AP-ES-07-19-05 2239EDT

Copy the Story Link