Gonzalez’s homer sends Padres to win

NEW YORK -- Billy Wagner couldn’t close it out. Trevor Hoffman couldn’t, either.

After two of baseball’s best closers flopped again Thursday night, Heath Bell had enough moxie to hang on for his first major league save.

Adrian Gonzalez homered in the 10th inning and the San Diego Padres outlasted the New York Mets, 9-8, in a wild game that included blown saves by Wagner and Hoffman.

“It’s a rarity, that’s for sure,” Padres Manager Bud Black said. “It just goes to show you closers are human. It’s a tough role. People want perfection, and it’s not going to happen.”

The Padres took two of three from the National League East leaders in a potential playoff preview. San Diego increased its lead in the wild-card race to two games over Philadelphia.

Trailing, 6-1, in the sixth, the Mets scored six runs, capped by pinch-hitter Marlon Anderson’s three-run homer.