MLB

HEADLEY LEADS PADRES TO 6-5 WIN OVER METS

Chase Headley tied a career high with four hits and the San Diego Padres beat the New York Mets 6-5 on Thursday night to win the first regular-season series at Citi Field.

Jake Peavy settled down after allowing Carlos Delgado’s long three-run homer in the first and surprising San Diego held on for its sixth win in seven games. Former Mets reliever Heath Bell pitched a perfect ninth for his fifth save in five chances.

The Padres looked right at home in New York’s spacious new home, with its expansive outfield reminiscent of the power alleys in their Petco Park. They only needed one extra-base hit to send the Mets to their fifth loss in seven games.

Delgado hit his third homer with one out in the first, sending a 3-0 pitch over a billboard hanging above the bullpens in right-center. Ramon Castro hit a two-run shot off former teammate Duaner Sanchez in the eighth but that was it for New York.

Peavy (2-1) allowed three runs and six hits in five innings. He struck out five and walked four.

The 2007 NL Cy Young Award winner also helped out at the plate, setting up San Diego’s five-run third inning with a key sacrifice that put runners on second and third. Jody Gerut and David Eckstein followed with RBI singles to cut the Mets’ lead to 3-2.

John Maine (0-1) got Brian Giles to ground out to first, but Gerut and Giles each moved up a base. After Adrian Gonzalez was walked intentionally, Headley lined a two-run single into center field to put San Diego ahead 4-3. Kevin Kouzmanoff tacked on another RBI single as the crowd of 35,985 groaned.

Headley also doubled in Gonzalez in the fifth and led off the eighth with another single to tie his career high for hits set Sept. 19 at Washington.

New York put runners on second and third in the third and fourth innings. Peavy struck out Castro to end the third and fanned David Wright to end the fourth. The Mets left eight runners on base.

Notes:@ Mets RHP Mike Pelfrey played catch before the game and downplayed the forearm tendinitis that led the team to send him for an MRI exam Tuesday. “I’m not concerned about it at all,” he said. “I’m going to be OK.” Pelfrey wants to start Sunday against Milwaukee but manager Jerry Manuel was waiting to see how he responded to anti-inflammatory medication before making a decision. … Padres RHP Walter Silva will miss his next scheduled start with a strained right forearm. The 32-year-old rookie was injured while batting in the second inning of the Padres’ 6-5 victory over the Mets on Monday night. Manager Bud Black said the club is still working out who will start Sunday at Philadelphia. … The Padres were without first base coach Rick Renteria, who was attending to a family matter in Southern California and isn’t expected to be with the team this weekend. Hitting coach Jim Lefebvre subbed for Renteria against the Mets. … Mets C Brian Schneider (tight back) rested.