With a chance to take the series in a rematch of the 2022 Wild Card round in which the Padres defeated the Mets, San Diego fell flat, losing 5-2 on a day in which the offense could not capitalize on multiple opportunities.

The day started well for the Padres, with Juan Soto blasting a two-run home run 453 feet, giving them a 2-0 lead right at the beginning of the game. After that, however, the offense stayed relatively quiet, even with an inning in which they squandered opportunities with runners on base.

In four different innings, the Padres put multiple runners on base but were unable to get any of them home. Mets’ starter Tylor Megill was good but not spectacular, going five innings while allowing three hits and striking out three, but the Padres just couldn’t break through.

“It comes down to, in games like this, runners in scoring position. We couldn’t come up with the big hit, and they did,” said manager Bob Melvin after the game when speaking about missed opportunities at the plate.

Blake Snell was unspectacular for San Diego, going five innings also but allowing four runs while walking five. Snell allowed a pair of solo home runs to Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso while also allowing the Mets to steal three times on him, which was enough to give the Mets a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

“Obviously, five walks isn’t what he wants, and what eventually forced him out of the game, but I thought, for the most part, he was better today,” said Melvin after the game when speaking about Snell’s outing.

The Padres have now allowed 16 stolen bases on 17 attempts against them, which is partly a product of the new rules that make stealing bases easier for the runners but also has something to do with the combination of Austin Nola and Luis Campusano.

The Padres finish their first road trip of the season with a winning record, going 4-3 against two of the National League’s better teams, the Braves, and the Mets, but they missed out on a chance to take both series with the loss Wednesday.

They will now head back to San Diego for a four-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers, who have started the season 8-3. Nick Martinez will get the start on Thursday to kick off the series.

Kevin Modafferi

Kevin is a San Diego Native covering the San Diego Padres and their affiliates