Padres Blanked by Mets’ Johan Santana

The first game of the series seems like such a long time ago. The excitement of 11 runs. The beauty of hit after hit. It seems like a game played in another season, another time. After two convincing wins since then by the Mets, including Johan Santan’s dominance of San Diego yesterday 9-0, such offensive outburst are sure to be the exception, not the rule.

For the second straight game, the Padres picked up just four hits. Santana dazzled as he went all nine innings,

throwing a complete game shut-out. He struck out seven Padres batters and didn’t allow a walk.

Clayton Richard, on the other hand, did not perform nearly as well. He tossed six innings, allowed five hits, and gave up four runs. Richard struck out five but walked three. Richard was stung by home runs. All four runs he gave up were a result of home runs in the first inning. After that rough start, he did settle down, but it was too late.

Dale Thayer, pitching in a non-save situation, gave up five more runs in a single inning. He four hits and one walk. The big knock was a two-out grand slam by Mike Nickeas in the eighth.

Jesus Guzman, Yonder Alonso, Blake Tekotte, and Chase Headley had the only hits for the Padres – all singles. San Diego only got one runner into scoring position in the game.

The fourth and final game of the series will be today at 10:10 PT. Edinson Volquez will take on knuckle-baller R.A. Dickey as the Padres try to at least salvage a split.