MLB

Mets’ Gee gets 11th win in romp over Padres

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SAN DIEGO — The last time the Mets received anything resembling this kind of starting-pitching performance, Francisco Rodriguez was still the team’s closer and nobody seemed certain when David Wright would return from a back injury.

That was July 5, when Mike Pelfrey pitched six shutout innings against the Dodgers. Mets starting pitchers had gone 36 straight games since then allowing at least two runs, a streak that ended last night with Dillon Gee allowing one run over 6 2/3 innings against the Padres in a 7-3 victory at PETCO Park.

The victory allowed the Mets to escape with their first series win in this ballpark since it opened in 2004. The Mets, who won two of three games, had last won a series in this city in 2002, at Qualcomm Stadium.

BOX SCORE

Manny Acosta got the game’s biggest out, with a seventh-inning strikeout of Jason Bartlett with the bases loaded in a 4-1 game. Bobby Parnell then pitched a scoreless eighth before Ryota Igarashi stumbled through the ninth, allowing two runs.

Gee (11-4) allowed one earned run on five hits and four walks. The righty became the first Mets rookie since Ron Darling in 1984 to win more than 10 games in a season.

It was Gee’s strongest performance since July 19, when he allowed two earned runs on three hits over seven innings to beat the Cardinals. Gee entered with an 8.10 ERA in two August starts after scuffling to a 4.60 ERA in five July appearances.

“I really think it’s all about how you finish [the season],” Gee said. “For me to go out and kind of turn things around this outing, I’m just looking forward to hopefully continuing that.”

Manager Terry Collins was glad to see the same Gee who shined in the first half of this season.

“[Gee] pitches like he knows how,” Collins said. “He used his changeup on both sides, whether they were right- or left-handed and threw his breaking ball for strikes and moved his fastball around. What we saw today was what we had come to expect from him.”

The Padres didn’t break through against Gee until the seventh, when Aaron Cunningham stroked an RBI double. Orlando Hudson, who doubled leading off the inning, scored to pull the Padres within 4-1.

The Mets broke the game open in the eighth, scoring three runs to take a 7-1 lead. Angel Pagan’s single with the bases loaded brought home two. Willie Harris then delivered an RBI single.

The Mets padded their lead in the seventh. Gee was drilled just above the right knee by a pitch — he said it’s not an issue — putting runners on first and second. Ruben Tejada then stole third and scored on Pagan’s ground out.

Wright’s three-run homer in the third inning accounted for the early runs. Pagan singled leading off the inning and stole second. Harris hit a comebacker, but Padres starter Mat Latos saw Pagan round second and opted to throw behind the runner in an attempt to catch him off the base. Pagan was safe and Harris reached first. Wright then cleared the left-field fence.

A sly defensive play by Wright helped the Mets escape the fourth. Logan Forsythe hit a chopper that Wright backhanded as Cameron Maybin ran to third. With no play at first, Wright pump-faked. Maybin, believing Wright had made the throw, rounded the base and was tagged out.

“With two outs I know he’s running on the swing,” Wright said. “I know he can run and likes to be aggressive on the base paths, so it’s worth a shot.”

mpuma@nypost.com