Blum saves Padres after Maddux shines

Geoff Blum singled in the go-ahead run with two out in the eighth for the San Diego Padres, who nearly wasted a brilliant performance by Greg Maddux before rallying to beat the New York Mets, 5-4, on Wednesday night.

Blum, subbing for slumping second baseman Marcus Giles, singled to right off Joe Smith to drive in Khalil Greene and finished with two hits in three at-bats. Giles, who is batting .191 since May 7, has been benched for at least three games.

Milton Bradley and Adrian Gonzalez hit homers for the Padres, who took two of three from the East Division-leading Mets. Trevor Hoffman pitched a perfect ninth for his 26th save in 28 chances, his 22nd in a row and the 508th of his record-setting career.

Scott Linebrink (3-2) got the win despite giving up David Wright’s tying three-run homer with two outs in the top of the eighth inning. Maddux had been in line for his 341st victory before the bullpen coughed up a 4-0 lead.

Manager Bud Black removed the 41-year-old Maddux after the fifth inning, even though he’d thrown only 65 pitches -- 49 strikes and 16 balls -- and yielded only four singles.