Hurst, Padres Beat Viola and Mets, 6 to 2

Bruce Hurst pitched his National League-leading eighth complete game and the San Diego Padres scored four runs in the first inning today, beating the New York Mets and Frank Viola 6-2.

San Diego salvaged final game of a three-game series and sent the Mets to only their second loss in 10 games.

Hurst, 12-9, allowed nine hits, struck out three and walked two in beating Viola for the first time in four career meetings. While in the American League, Viola was 2-0 against Hurst.

Viola, making his fourth start for the Mets since his July 31 trade from Minnesota, allowed 10 hits in six innings.

Hurst, who beat the Mets twice in the 1986 World Series for Boston, is 1-1 against them this year.

Viola, 1-2, gave up hits to the first four batters in the first inning.

Roberto Alomar, who had four hits, threw his bat at the ball to get a single to left and Garry Templeton followed with a perfect hit-and-run single to right, moving Alomar to third. Tony Gwynn followed with an RBI single and Chris James doubled off right fielder Darryl Strawberry’s glove for another run.

Carmelo Martinez’s grounder scored Gwynn and Luis Salazar, 5-for-18 lifetime against Viola, singled in the fourth run of the inning.