SAN DIEGO (AP) — Yu Darvish pitched seven impressive innings for his first win of the season, Gavin Sheets hit a two-run homer and the San Diego Padres beat the NL East-leading New York Mets 5-0 on Wednesday for a three-game sweep.
Manny Machado added a two-run, bases-loaded single for the Padres, who won their fifth straight game as they continue to chase the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West.
Slugger Juan Soto was out of the lineup for the Mets a day after fouling a ball off the top of his left foot.
Darvish (1-3), who turns 39 on Aug. 16, held the Mets to two hits, struck out seven and walked none in his fifth start. After allowing Mark Vientos’ single with one out in the first, Darvish retired the next 13 batters. He had been sidelined by right elbow inflammation from mid-March until making his season debut on July 7.
Darvish got a nice ovation as he headed to the dugout after pitching a perfect seventh in what became the Padres’ big league-high 15th shutout.
It was Darvish’s 111th big league win, which, combined with his 93 in Japan, allowed him to break out of a tie with Hiroki Kuroda and take sole possession of first place on the combined all-time list.
Sheets’ homer off Clay Holmes (9-6) came after Jose Iglesias reached on shortstop Francisco Lindor’s throwing error with two outs in the third. Sheets then drove an 0-2 pitch an estimated 427 feet to right-center, his 15th.
Holmes retired the first two batters in the second before allowing a single by Martin Maldonado, hitting Fernando Tatis Jr. on the top of the left hand with a pitch and walking Luis Arraez. Machado then singled to left for a 2-0 lead.
Machado hit a three-run homer in a 7-1 win on Tuesday night.
Holmes lasted only 3 2/3 innings, allowing four runs — two earned — and eight hits. The Mets were swept in a series of three or more games at San Diego for the first time since 2008.
Key moment
Sheets’ homer gave Darvish some breathing room.
Key stat
It was the 10th time in Darvish’s 14-year career that he pitched seven-plus innings while allowing no runs and two or fewer hits.
Up next
Mets LHP David Peterson (7-4, 2.83 ERA) is scheduled to start Friday night in the opener of a three-game home series against San Francisco. The Padres haven’t named a starter for Friday night’s opener of a three-game home series against St. Louis.
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