Mets Fight Back, Deck Padres, 7-3

The New York Mets outhit the San Diego Padres and won the battle of the bullpens in a 7-3 victory Tuesday night.

John Olerud and Brian McRae homered and drove in three runs each while five pitchers combined to strike out 13 Padres in a come-from-behind victory.

“It’s a way to start a home stand,” Met Manager Bobby Valentine said. “We answered the homers with homers and the bullpen did the job to hold them.”

The Mets, who have won seven of nine games, ended San Diego’s five-game road winning streak.

“It’s going to happen,” Padre Manager Bruce Bochy said of blowing a 3-0 lead. “It hasn’t happened too often, as our record shows.”

Hideo Nomo (5-8) won his third consecutive start and got his third victory for New York since making his debut with the Mets on June 9. He gave up three runs and three hits and struck out eight in five innings.

Greg McMichael pitched the final 1 2/3 innings for his second save of the season and first since rejoining the Mets on July 10. The Padres set a season mark by striking out 13 times.

“Hideo had a bunch of pitches early and we knew that it was up to us,” McMichael said. “It’s fortunate that we were able to add on some runs. It was a big effort to keep it going and not just leave it to a one-run game.”

Andy Ashby (14-6) lost his bid to become baseball’s first 15-game winner. He had won four consecutive starts, but gave up four runs and six hits in six innings Tuesday.